Living Wage
[ Excerpt from SBN-P article by JOSHUA MOLINA, 2/8/2006 ]
... The council's three-member Finance Committee moved a step closer to making final recommendations at a near three-hour meeting at City Hall on Tuesday. The panel members will wrap up the final details and then send the matter forward for a final vote on either Feb. 28 or March 7, at a special night meeting of the council.
The proposal to raise the hourly wages for employees of some businesses that contract with the city has sparked opposition from business groups and support from socially liberal activists.
"This is more conservative than the Republican governor's minimum wage proposal so we shouldn't allow this to be cast as a radical measure," said living wage supporter and councilman Das Williams.
The current plan calls for a living wage of $14, $12 and $11. Companies that have at least $15,000 in service contracts with the city would have to pay their employees the wage. Employers would have to pay the high number if they don't provide health insurance benefits. Companies would pay the lower wages if they provide health insurance and other benefits and perks...
Councilwoman Helene Schneider disputed any suggestion that unions would demand higher pay if a living wage ordinance were created.
"We really need to focus on the facts before us, and not the fear of what could happen in the future," Ms. Schneider said.
e-mail: jmolina@newspress.com
Santa Barbara News-Press
... The council's three-member Finance Committee moved a step closer to making final recommendations at a near three-hour meeting at City Hall on Tuesday. The panel members will wrap up the final details and then send the matter forward for a final vote on either Feb. 28 or March 7, at a special night meeting of the council.
The proposal to raise the hourly wages for employees of some businesses that contract with the city has sparked opposition from business groups and support from socially liberal activists.
"This is more conservative than the Republican governor's minimum wage proposal so we shouldn't allow this to be cast as a radical measure," said living wage supporter and councilman Das Williams.
The current plan calls for a living wage of $14, $12 and $11. Companies that have at least $15,000 in service contracts with the city would have to pay their employees the wage. Employers would have to pay the high number if they don't provide health insurance benefits. Companies would pay the lower wages if they provide health insurance and other benefits and perks...
Councilwoman Helene Schneider disputed any suggestion that unions would demand higher pay if a living wage ordinance were created.
"We really need to focus on the facts before us, and not the fear of what could happen in the future," Ms. Schneider said.
e-mail: jmolina@newspress.com
Santa Barbara News-Press
Posted by Malcolm on
2/14/2006
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