For the last 30 years, the City of Boston has released quarterly reports on the racial makeup of its workforce. Last week the Council passed Councilor Charles Yancey’s resolution ordering the administration of Mayor Martin Walsh to resume the quarterly reports.
Walsh administration officials have not issued a report since the mayor took office.
“I think it’s important that the public has this information, and at the very least, that this legislative body has access to this information,” Yancey said.
Walsh told The Banner the city’s personnel department has been relying on a combination of self-reporting and visual assessments — department heads looking at their employees and guessing their racial background — to compile statistics for years.
“There was profiling going on, and I don’t agree with it,” Walsh said. “The latest request by Councilor Yancey will be released.”
Walsh also said his commitment to diversifying city government remains unchanged.
“We’re working every single day to bring diversity to city government, to the cabinet, to department heads and to the rank-and-file workers.”
