Editorial: Councilor’s motion sends the wrong economic message

Economic development or discouragement?

The Lowell City Council apparently seems prepared to support an aspirational labor precondition for any potential major employer seeking to create jobs and pay taxes in the Mill City.

On Tuesday night, councilors moved closer to passing a resolution “urging community engagement and fair employment standards” for any possible future expansion of Amazon into Lowell.

First proposed by Councilor John Drinkwater in March, it met resistance from some members for singling out a particular company.

This time, Drinkwater amended his motion to address City Solicitor Christine O’Connor’s concerns.

In part, O’Connor recommended that the Economic Development Subcommittee work with the Division of Planning and Development “to study and define community standards for all ‘e-commerce’ businesses.”

Drinkwater, who’s employed as a workforce development specialist by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said his goal is to send a strong but nonbinding message to the company about what the council expects in a business partner and to ensure quality economic development for residents.

Perhaps before Lowell talks itself out of ever being considered as a suitable site for an e-commerce giant like Amazon, it should confer with municipal officials in nearby communities that have welcomed Amazon with open arms.

Littleton will soon have Amazon as a neighbor, right off its town center. The retail giant is planning a “last mile” warehouse there, with plans to raze an adjacent vacant office building for additional parking.

The town’s Planning Board has already signed off on the development, which could be operational by the end of the year.

As you’d expect, Littleton entered into these negotiations with more than a little trepidation.

And unsolicited, Amazon contacted another Gateway City, Fitchburg, last fall about a suitable location for a regional distribution center.

Such a facility has the potential of creating 300 good-paying jobs.

GFI Partners of Boston is leasing the vacant Simonds Saw industrial building on Intervale Road to Amazon, with construction starting in February.

Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale’s office helped broker the deal.

Instead of issuing a list of nonbinding — and self-defeating demands — Lowell officials should be sending encouraging signals to any major business, retail or otherwise, willing to make a significant investment in this city.

Subsequent negotiations between interested parties would be the appropriate time for the city to disclose its concept of a mutually beneficial working relationship.

It should be obvious to anyone that the employment pendulum in this country has swung demonstrably in favor of potential hires with currently 10 million job openings nationwide that employers can’t fill.

The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey conducted by the U.S. Labor Department concluded that nearly 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August, the highest quitting rate ever recorded.

Due to this coronavirus pandemic, American workers have never been more finicky or selective.

Well aware of the challenging hiring climate, Amazon and other major employers have made adjustments in pay and working conditions to remain competitive.

If you believe their ads, all Amazon associates make at least $15 an hour, get company health benefits from day one and receive financial help for college courses.

Lowell shouldn’t be in the business of deciding what set of business practices it deems appropriate for its residents or anyone else.

In this employee-friendly climate, that should be left up to individual job seekers.