County Commission approves program sponsored by Commissioner Monestime to ensure Miami-Dade residents benefit from County construction jobs

MIAMI, FL – Miami-Dade residents will have a better shot at getting work on County construction projects thanks to a new County employment program.

The Miami-Dade County Commission today approved, by unanimous vote of all Commissioners present, an ordinance sponsored by Commissioner Jean Monestime to encourage the hiring of Miami-Dade workers on large projects. The ordinance, which creates the “Residents First Training and Employment Program,” asks contractors on County projects in excess of $1 million to set a goal of having 51 percent of their project labor hours performed by Miami-Dade residents. A contractor’s success in reaching that goal can be a factor when evaluating bids for future County construction contracts.

“This program will ensure that Miami-Dade workers get the benefit of job creation that occurs as a result of large-scale construction projects that the County takes on,” Commissioner Monestime said. “From an economic standpoint, it just makes sense to look to our local workforce first so local dollars stay local as much as possible.”

The ordinance, which also requires workers on large-scale projects to complete a 10-hour safety training course, is receiving praise from local unions.

"We applaud the Miami-Dade County Commission for passing the Residents First Ordinance and thank Commissioner Monestime for sponsoring this important legislation,” said Matthew Land, Laborers' International Union of North America’s Miami-Dade Political Director. “Residents First will put Miami-Dade residents first when it comes to employment opportunities on taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects. The success of the Port of Miami Tunnel Project, which has seen close to 90 percent of its workforce come from within Miami-Dade County, has shown that by working together, we can bring great successes to the community."