Black and Latino brother carpenters and some of their supporters gathered on the City Hall steps before the hearing Thursday to protest AIMCO’s labor abuses. Photo: Francisco Da Costa

In fact, it was one of the most inspiring examples ever seen at City Hall of workers' multi-racial unity and determination to fight back against racist hiring, racist job assignment, racist harassment, racist wage-stealing and race baiting. Whatever the outcome of the suit, it was a bad day for capitalism and a glorious day for the working class. Several Gray Panthers were there, speaking, applauding and meeting with them.

Carpenters described how AIMCO subcontractors initially hired only Latins, whose checks they would cash, keeping hundreds of dollars. When local Blacks were hired, they were harassed, called lazy and incompetent, and finally forced to race with Latin carpenters to finish a wall. Both Latin and Black carpenters were forced to work as roofers, at a fraction of the mandatory wages and high up with dangerous scaffolding.

AIMCO subcontractors held separate meetings of Latin and Black carpenters, where they were told each was the enemy of the other. As one carpenter shouted, "You could have started a race riot!" other carpenters talked about the need to give their children examples of constructive work and fighting exploitation and racism.

Union officials have done next to nothing. AIMCO made a pathetic attempt to say they didn't know all this was happening. The Supervisors were rocked and almost dumbfounded. We hold them these abuses were the norm and will continue to be the norm with their redevelopment plans. It was a day we will never forget, and we will bring more news as it comes.

Watch the hearing on streaming video at http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=8&clip_id=4976&publish_id=&event_id=. You have to move the slider under the picture to 2 hours, 2 minutes to begin at the carpenters' segment of the hearing. Michael Lyon, a member of the Gray Panthers, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Freeze the funds, stop AIMCO's unfair labor practices

by Renee Saucedo

Dozens of carpenters and allies from Hunters Point and the Mission testified before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Neighborhood Services Committee on Thursday, Feb. 28, to expose AIMCO's illegal, racist and divisive employment practices at its four apartment complexes in Hunters Point - Bayview, Shoreview, All Hallows and LaSalle.

The several hundred apartments, which, for the 30-year life of the original HUD mortgage, the residents had expected to eventually own, were transferred instead to Colorado-based AIMCO. Citing toxic mold infestation and other severe maintenance problems that threatened residents' health, the City sued AIMCO.

In a lopsided game of give and take, however, the City awarded at least $73 million in tax exempt state revenue bond funds to AIMCO, out of which it was easily able to give back the $3 million penalty imposed under the lawsuit settlement. The remaining funds are financing mold remediation and renovation.

The new lawsuit, filed by 15 carpenters in December, charges AIMCO with allowing racial slurs at the workplace, extorting workers' wages, segregating the workplace, pitting African-American and Latino workers against each other and firing the workers in retaliation for complaining about the abusive practices. It also balked at hiring workers who live in Hunters Point.

The carpenters say they were forced to sign their paychecks, then hand them back to AIMCO's contractors, who took the checks and cashed them. One worker said he was given $400 from a check that totaled $1,400. The workers say that AIMCO was well aware of the extortion and of contractor representatives going to the workers' homes and threatening them.

"It is completely unacceptable that this company is receiving millions in taxpayer money and is violating the laws and exploiting its workers," said Gregory Hall, one of the carpenters who was racially harassed by AIMCO and fired for complaining about it. "San Francisco's elected officials must stop it and hold AIMCO accountable."

Among other demands presented at the hearing, the group of workers and residents will request that the Board of Supervisors ensure the freezing of AIMCO's public monies until the matter is further investigated.

Renee Saucedo is a leading organizer, activist and lawyer in the Mission who works with La Raza Centro Legal and the Day Labor Program. Email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Francisco Da Costa and Bay View staff contributed to this story.

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