Recent allegations made by the Alabama Coalition for Community Benefits and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists are baseless and part of a concerted effort to delegitimize the substantive Community Benefits Framework that New Flyer of America announced will be initiated this month. It is an extremely unfortunate attack that mischaracterizes New Flyer and the work they have done to create jobs and generate economic growth throughout the country.

As a partner of New Flyer, I have greatly admired their flexibility and diligence when it comes to shaping policy directives to benefit their individual workers. They seek value in their product and they recognize the limitless value in equipping their employees with unique skills to make them successful on the job.

As a president and founder of the Transportation Diversity Council, I have helped myriad companies to enhance their workforce development models to really get at eradicating the root causes of workforce discrimination and offering life-changing opportunities for previously disenfranchised communities. Increasing access and offering these avenues of hope to the previously incarcerated, women, veterans and minorities, is no easy feat, and certainly a one-size fits all CBA model does not expedite the expansion of a diverse talent pipeline nor guarantee equity and dignity on the job.

In my 20 years of working in the transportation industry, and my decade-long career to reshape the relationship between private and public sector to improve job prospects for the most disenfranchised worker, I recognize the extensive efforts of a great company like New Flyer. We had tremendous success in the Greater Los Angeles area with their Ontario facility and I can attest that New Flyer is a proactive and transparent partner.

I urge all to reconsider the allegations made against New Flyer and I look forward to instituting policies that will widen the diversity pipeline and empower the workers of Anniston.

 

Dwayne Sampson

President and Founder of Transportation Diversity Council