LETTER: To The PawSox Owners, Please Come Ready To Work

WORCESTER, MA—The following was submitted by the Worcester Community Labor Coalition. Want to get in on the conversation? Submit your letters to the editor to charlene.arsenault@patch.com.

Dear PawSox Owners,

As conversations over the Pawtucket Red Sox coming to Worcester move to more detailed negotiations, we would like to express our support for the project.

As community groups, religious congregations, businesses, neighborhood associations, labor unions and their partners, we recognize the importance of economic development that benefits our community. We applaud the work of our City Manager Ed Augustus in constructing an appealing proposal that meets your needs. We too would like to invite you to Worcester with the hope of working together to ensure the proposed ballpark
complex serves the needs of both the PawSox and the community.

Significant public tax dollars have already been spent in pursuit of this ballpark, and tens of millions more are being redirected for land takings, construction, roadwork, infrastructure improvements and marketing. Publicly financed sports facilities are not economically beneficial to a community unless there are linkages and commitments to responsible contracting, environmental protection, local jobs, hiring equity and livable
wages that support the community.

Please come to Worcester, and please come ready to work. We will pledge our organizations’ support for making this ballpark and surrounding development proposal successful, if you will pledge to work with us in including community needs in the plan for this project.

Sincerely,
(current list of signers)
1. Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church
2. Black Heritage Festival Committee
3. Carpenters Local 336
4. Center for Non-Violent Solutions
5. Coghlin Electrical Contractors
6. DC 35 Painters and Allied Trades
7. Decidete Radio
8. Delsignore Electrical Contractors
9. Energy Insulation
10. EPOCA – Ex-Prisoners & Prisoners Organizing for Community Advancement
11. Greater Worcester Our Revolution
12. Greenwood Industries Inc.
13. Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local #6
14. IBEW - Local 96
15. Jobs with Justice
16. KM Kelly Electrical
17. KM Kelly Mechanical
18. KMD Mechanical
19. Lidco Electric
20. Main South CDC
21. MNA Regional Council 2
22. Massachusetts Jobs with Justice
23. Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition
24. Mosaic
25. Mothers Out Front Worcester
26. NAACP - Worcester Branch
27. New American CDC
28. New England Joint Board UNITE HERE
29. Ostrow Electric
30. Renewable Energy Worcester
31. Roca de Salvación
32. Roofers & Waterproofers Union - Local 33
33. SURJ – Showing Up for Racial Justice
34. Titan Roofing & Sheet Metal Co.
35. William F. Lynch Co.
36. Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team
37. Worcester Common Ground
38. Worcester County Food Bank
39. Worcester Fitchburg Building Trades Council
40. Worcester Interfaith
41. Worcester Roots
42. Worcester Youth Center
43. Worcester YouthBuild
44. YWCA Central Massachusetts