San Antonio may establish a new advisory board focused on the trades, following a proposal from two city councilmembers. On Monday, after the Cesar Chavez Holiday, District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo filed a Council Consideration Request (CCR) to create a Trades Advisory Board. The board would oversee public fund allocation and promote local workforce development.
The proposed board draws inspiration from similar initiatives in Texas, such as the Essential Workers Board created in 2021 in Harris County. The goal is for local workers to take a leading role in discussions on issues impacting their livelihoods. Councilmember McKee-Rodriguez championed the proposal, told the City of San Antonio, "The creation of the Trades Advisory Board will serve San Antonio in a more expansive and fair way by inviting workers to lead the conversations and decisions that most affect them."
The proposed Trades Advisory Board is designed with purpose and structure. As outlined in the CCR, the one-year pilot program will focus on City-funded construction, telecommunications, and infrastructure projects. Councilmember Castillo emphasized that the primary goal is to "ensure that workers have a seat at the table, lifting their voice when it comes to enforcing labor standards, workforce development and training, and coordinating these efforts within publicly funded City contracts." By amplifying worker voices, the initiative aims to create a future where those who contribute to building the city also benefit from its contracts and projects, in a statement obtained by the City of San Antonio.
The proposed Trades Advisory Board could provide several potential benefits for the city, including promoting the use of local labor, aligning training programs with employer needs, and addressing contractor abuses and wage theft early on. It may also offer transparent oversight of City projects, ensuring that investments are distributed fairly. The proposal has received support from Councilmembers Sukh Kaur (D1), Adriana Rocha Garcia (D4), and Melissa Cabello Havrda (D6), who have signed on to assist San Antonio's working families.
