Editorial: Mayor Wu brings jobs to Boston – at City Hall

Nobody can accuse Mayor Michelle Wu of working a streamlined operation.

Since taking workplace, the progressive Democrat has added a number of cabinet-level positions, and whole departments, to her administration.

Wu appointed James Arthur Jemison II, Joe Biden’s principal deputy assistant secretary of Housing and City Improvement, as Boston’s first planning chief.

She introduced Frank Farrow as govt director of the brand new Workplace for Black Male Development and appointed Oliver Sellers-Garcia as the town’s first-ever Inexperienced New Deal director.

Earlier than taking workplace, Wu pledged to create a “kids’s cupboard” throughout her marketing campaign.

On Monday, Wu added one other layer, saying a brand new Cupboard for Employee Empowerment. It is going to be led by Trinh Ngyuen. In accordance with the town’s web site, the cupboard is charged with advancing the well-being of all working Bostonians in each the private and non-private sectors.

“Boston can accomplish that way more to advance and empower staff throughout all of our neighborhoods,” mentioned Wu. “Our financial system is at a turning level, and as we work to get well from the impacts of the pandemic, we’ll help one among Boston’s best strengths: our workforce and other people. Once we make Boston a metropolis for everybody, each household and enterprise advantages from our development.”

Sounds good.

And the way will the cupboard try this?

By “Bringing collectively associated roles and capabilities that had been unfold throughout a number of metropolis departments and businesses beneath a single, unified cupboard; Setting the Metropolis’s future coverage and imaginative and prescient for staff with an instantaneous concentrate on implementing Boston’s Inexperienced New Deal.”

There’s extra, but when there’s already a Inexperienced New Deal director, how is that this workplace additionally streamlining roles and capabilities by taking over Inexperienced New Deal duties? The cupboard additionally goals to play a serious position in implementing the Inexperienced New Deal for Boston Public Faculties, “which incorporates creating inexperienced jobs with livable wages, good advantages, and robust employee protections throughout the town.”

How is that completely different from PowerCorps, the town’s Youth Inexperienced Jobs Program, which connects younger folks to inexperienced careers? Davo Jefferson was named govt director in February.

The Employee Empowerment cupboard can be tasked with “Regulating, overseeing and bettering office circumstances and well being for staff.” As OSHA now does?

“Increasing financial alternative for staff by way of entry to high quality jobs, abilities trainings and profession pipelines.” The Workplace of Black Male Development goals to make sure Black males and boys have equitable entry to alternatives in Boston — how can there not be overlap?

“I’m excited, honored and humbled by this nice alternative to serve the Metropolis and its residents,” mentioned Employee Empowerment Chief Nguyen. “Boston has just lately skilled super financial development and prosperity, nonetheless, the long run guarantees even higher alternatives if we prioritize equal entry to high quality jobs and abilities coaching for all Bostonians. We stay up for participating with employers, staff and private and non-private stakeholders in the direction of this collective imaginative and prescient.”

Boston is already making strides in boosting employment — by including a plethora of positions in Metropolis Corridor.