ENHANCE BUSINESS SERVICES IN THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT SYSTEM
WHEREAS, employers estimate that 39 percent of their current workforce and 26 percent of their
new hires will have basic skills deficiencies; and 75 percent of the American workforce will need to
be retrained merely to retain their jobs; and
WHEREAS, local business and industry need the resources the workforce investment system
provides to fill labor gaps, especially since private investment in worker training is reduced during
economic downturns; and more than half of all American workers are employed at small
businesses, which can rarely afford to provide training opportunities; and
WHEREAS, preparing a highly skilled workforce is essential both to the economic vitality of
communities and necessary in order to remain competitive in the global market; and
WHEREAS, the business community is the end user of the workforce system,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on
Congress to include flexibility in any WIA reauthorization and allow for local innovation in the
design of business services in order to address the needs of the business community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on Congress to
increase funding for the local workforce system to meet the needs of the business community.
©2003 U.S. Conference of Mayors 
