The Unified Command to hire unemployed to clean affected beaches

[babylonsister]

This is 2 days old but news to me...

http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=12601315

The Unified Command to hire unemployed to clean affected beaches
Posted: Jun 05, 2010 6:30 PM EST



MOBILE: The Unified Command in Mobile announced today the first deployment of the Qualified Community Responder (QCR) program that will put unemployed individuals to work in the counties that may be affected by the oil spill.

Working closely with the Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida unemployment offices, unemployed workers have been hired to help with the cleanup effort.

Starting today some 400 QCR workers in Florida and Alabama began cleaning affected beaches.

The QCR program secures local labor to help with a variety of tasks associated with cleaning beaches. QCR workers are trained and ready to help prevent and respond to the impacts of oil on the shoreline.

The plan is to train more than 4,500 workers in the three states in the Mobile Sector (1,500 in Alabama, 1,500 in Mississippi, and 1,600 in Florida).

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

[Radical Activist]

1. Sounds like an old Civilian Conservation Corps project.

Awesome.

[Catherina]

2. If they don't receive lifelong healthcare, this is a exploitation on the cheap

I'm all for putting the unemployed to work but this is hazardous work and they should also get lifetime healthcare for future health complications.

[NightWatcher]

3. I wish they'd stop using untrained, volunteers, locals....to do BP's dirty work

I work as a Marine Endangered Species Observer and I have been trained in several facets of proper handling of wildlife and hazardous marine conditions.

I know that locals, those affected by the spill, and unemployed people have different reasons for wanting to help, but I'm afraid that they will be exploited by BP and will possibly be harmed by not taking the proper safety precautions or they will be harmful to the wildlife that they encounter.

There are LOTS of PROFESSIONALS that can do this job, the only kicker is that they charge more than minimum wage. Plus it will look horrible for BP and those who own the hotels on the beach when PROPERLY dressed people show up in "space suits" to do the job. Nah, the oil's not bad, come to the beach....

[kestrel91316]

4. Excellent. Now make them pay a living wage with decent benefits,

and NONE OF THIS CRAP about hiring illegal immigrants "because Americans won't do the work".

I know, I'm asking way too much.