Springfield City Council members on Monday discussed a call from unions to make sure locals are prioritized for publicly-funded construction jobs.
Protesters claimed an out-of-state contractor and workers are being used for the overhaul of the housing property formerly known as Chestnut Towers.
Council president Justin Hurst says he understands the frustrations he heard, and although the city does have local hiring ordinance, he's deferring to the city solicitor on whether those rules apply in this case.
The property owner, New York City-based Related Companies, says the project was competitively bid and nearly all subcontractors are Massachusetts-based and are using in-state employment.