The African American Contractors Association is calling for an investigation into the recent demolition job of the historic Brach's Candy factory building on the West Side.
They say a Wisconsin-based company was given the job in the predominantly black ward and African American contractors were not given the opportunity to be hired on the work site.
"If I go apply for a job, I can't get a job 'cause I'm African American 'cause I'm not already in the union. But then the alderman comes down bringing people who aren't in the union and they go to work and it's okay, and displaced people who have already been there, paid money into their union dues for years, contributions from the contractors for years, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and they get no representation," said Leonard Noble, African American Contractors Association.
The association says black alderman in the City Council and the Cook County Board should use their influence to pressure contractors and vendors doing business in the state to hire more qualified African American contractors.
