May 22, 2003
(Updated) City Awards Garage Contract to Star Park, Minority Chambers
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
With strong urgings to respect labor unions and living wages, and without an appearance by the Portland Business Alliance, the Portland City Council did as expected this afternoon and awarded the contract to operate the city's SmartPark parking garages to a combination of Star Park and the Alliance of Minority Chambers of Commerce.
Comments and questions from members of the Council mainly focused on two areas: Living wages (and potential union representation) for those handling janitorials services, and what becomes of the downtown marketing plan.
The current marketing contact expires in July, and Ron Bergan of the Bureau of General Services (incidentally, they have one of the worst websites of all City bureaus) promised Commissioner Francesconi that he would be ready with a report on the marketing situation by the first of June.
Council members asked many of those testifying before them this afternoon about the impact of this new contract upon janitorial wages at SmartPark garages. As near as I could gather, the janitorial services would be handled by Courtesy Janitorial Service, which (or so it seemed from testimony) is not a union shop.
Those being awarded the new contract, however, reported that they intend to meet or exceed the city's living wage requirements, although Alice Dale, president of SEIU Local 49, at one point remarked that, if this turns out to be the case, it "would be the first time we've encountered that in a non-union environment."
Regardless, there seemed to be consensus on the part of Council that the issue of wages and benefits as it relates to janitorial services for the SmartPark garages is one which should continue to be monitored. Commissioner Sten specifically commended the work of SEIU 49 and their Justice for Janitors campaign in this regard.
While at least one observer was expecting (or perhaps merely hoping for) a representative of the Portland Business Alliance to testify, this was never particularly likely, since (as previously reported here) the Alliance had already declined to file a formal protest of the General Services recommendation.
In addition to asking that the labor and wage issues be addressed as the contract moves forward into implementation, Council members also applauded the alliance between Star Park and the minority chambers as allowing for a "historic" opportunity for diversity in the Portland business environment, and an opportunity for the City of Portland to help foster that environment.
That said, it was made clear that what enabled this opportunity was that the business plan presented by Star Park and the Alliance of Minority Chambers was (although narrowly) the best of the final two proposals before the Bureau of General Services.
Commissioner Francesconi said it was an "historic day" and demonstrated how business should be done -- by both business and government. He also expressed hope that these sorts of business relationships, which cut across racial and ethnic lines, might help fill the gaps which social relationships have failed to entirely bridge.
Commissioner Leonard called it unique and said it "could be precedent setting," while reiterating that the contract was awarded because it was the "best bid."
Commissioner Saltzman underscored the Council's concerns over janitorial wages and related issues, saying that perhaps Courtesy could simply sign the so-called "master contract," thereby coming into the umbrella of what unions have secured for their workers.
Echoing some of the "historic" rhetoric, Commissioner Sten also expressed hope that this relationship between Star Park and the minority chambers might represent the start of new approaches and new relationships when it comes to doing business in Portland.
And Mayor Katz added very little to these closing statements. "I'm not going to give you advice," she said to the contract-winners. "You don't need any advice. You figured it out."
As for the matter of evaluating the new contractors over time, Katz said, "You will be judged on your performance."