LIVING WAGE COALITION IN THE NEWS

Sonoma:
Living Wage Coalition Introduces Ordinance to the City of Sonoma

The Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County will present an ordinance to the City of Sonoma at the city council meeting on Wednesday, March 3rd, at the council chambers, 177 First St. West, starting at 7:00 PM. All supporters of the Living Wage Campaign are encouraged to attend.

Marcee Harris and Dr. Peter Hall, researchers affiliated with the Center for Labor Research and Education and the Institute for Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley, have prepared a fiscal impact report which analyzes the costs and benefits of the proposed ordinance. Ms. Harris, a graduate student at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UCB, is tentatively scheduled to present this report at a council study session on April 7th.

Over the last six months members of the Living Wage Coalition have gathered signatures in support of the ordinance and have distributed educational materials at local churches, shopping centers, and public meetings in Sonoma.

A full calender of Living Wage Coalition events in Sonoma is appended below.

For more information about the Sonoma campaign contact Living Wage Coalition Interfaith Liason Ben Boyce at (707) 623-7395 (benboyce@ap.net) or call the Living Wage Coalition at: (707) 623-7395 x220 (www.livingwagesonoma.org).

The basics of the Sonoma ordinance are as follows:

1) WAGES AND HEALTH BENEFITS:

The city, city contractors with service contracts of more than $10,000 and firms receiving economic development assistance of more than $100,000, would be required to pay their employees $11.70 an hour with benefits and $13.20 an hour without benefits.

The wage is annually indexed to the Bay Area Consumer Price Index.

2) COMPENSATED TIME-OFF:

Workers employed by the City or city contractors would receive compensated time-off for illness, holidays, and vacations: 12 days with pay and 10 without.

3) EXEMPTIONS:

The ordinance exempts small businesses with less that six employees and proposes a three year phase-in period for non-profit firms covered by the ordinance;

Seasonal youth workers, student interns, and volunteers are also exempted from coverage;

Nonprofit firms with contracts of less than $75,000 with the City would be exempted.

4) RESPONSIBLE BIDDER:

The ordinance contains a responsible bidder clause which would mandate that the record of a company in regards to compliance with labor, health and safety, and environmental state and federal regulations will become a factor in the competitive bidding process (in addition to cost).
5) LABOR RELATIONS NEUTRALITY:

Any city contractor covered by the ordinance must comply with state law and remain neutral if employees decide to form a union.
 

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LIVING WAGE COALITION OF SONOMA COUNTY
Phone: 707-623-7395
Email: mml@ap.net
PO Box 427
Santa Rosa, CA 95402