LIVING WAGE COALITION IN THE NEWS

City Council Enacts Living Wage Ordinance

by Corey Young

SEBASTOPOL - The City Council approved a "living wage" for some of the city's lowest-paid workers this week, joining a nationwide movement for better wages. "I believe it is the right thing to do. We need a living wage now," said Mayor Craig Litwin.

The ordinance sets an hourly wage for city workers of $13.20 without health benefits. Workers with benefits would be paid a wage that deducts the cost of medical coverage from the $13.20-per-hour amount.

City Manager Dave Brennan said the living wage law would apply to six part-time city employees - four crossing guards, a temporary seasonal laborer and an employee who videotapes the council meetings.

The increased wages and paid time off will cost the city $10,500 annually, Brennan's report said.

Councilmembers Linda Kelley, Larry Robinson and Sam Spooner joined Litwin in voting to introduce the living wage law at the council's Nov. 18 meeting, and formally approved the law on Tuesday. Councilmember Bob Anderson was out of the country.

The November meeting was packed with dozens of supporters and members of the Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County, which is trying to pass a living wage law in every Sonoma County city and has been working with Sebastopol leaders for months on a living wage law.

Coalition co-founder Marty Bennett said Sebastopol is the 113th community in the nation to pass a living wage ordinance.

"We believe this will be a benchmark for the entire county," he said. The Living Wage Coalition will be taking its proposal to Sonoma and Petaluma in the next few months, he said.

A living wage is more than a symbolic gesture, said Bennett. There is widespread support for cities and other local governments to pay their employees a fair wage that truly covers the cost of housing, health care and other basic needs, he said. "We see our movement as a nationwide movement," he said. "It is much more than symbolic."

Brennan recommended the council postpone a decision on the proposal until the city learns more about state impacts on the city budget. But councilmembers said now is the time to adopt such an ordinance.

"It is our responsibility to act consistently with our belief in the right of working families to food and shelter, security and healthcare and education," said Robinson. "It is the right thing to do and it is the right time to do it."

No one spoke in opposition to the living wage proposal. But Robinson responded to critics of living wage laws who say the city's action will have the effect of pushing up labor costs elsewhere.

"Exactly. That's the whole point," he said. "Our action may be a drop in the bucket, but there are many other drops filling the bucket all over this country, and sooner or later, it's going to overflow."

The ordinance would also apply to for-profit businesses with city contracts over $10,000, non-profits with 25 or more employees and contracts over $20,000, and groups receiving more than $100,000 in grants or loans from the city.

Currently, there are no groups doing business with the city that meet those thresholds. In addition to higher pay, affected employees will receive 22 days off per year "for sick leave, vacation or personal necesity," including 12 paid days, according to the ordinance.

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LIVING WAGE COALITION OF SONOMA COUNTY
Phone: 707-623-7395
Email: livingwagesoco@gmail.com
PO Box 427
Santa Rosa, CA 95402