by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
After nearly two years of ongoing research and multiple redrafts, a bill establishing a new living wage for City employees may finally come to a vote before the City Council in February.
At the last Council meeting in December, the bill’s scope was significantly, eliminating economically assisted organizations and subcontractors of the City. Only permanent City employees are included in the latest version of the bill.
“It could have come to a vote right there on the floor, but I got the feeling that it probably would have failed,” said Council member Kevin Hyde. “We needed time to take a look at it now that it has become more focused and, fundamentally, very different. We need time to build a consensus.”
Hyde, who also chairs the Council’s living wage subcommittee, will meet with Council president Lad Daniels and Council members Daniel Davis, Michael Corrigan and Warren Alvarez today to determine what’s next.
“I’d like to develop a program, determine a process, so we move towards voting on some legislation,” said Daniels. “A lot of work has been done by myself and (Hyde) and we have a lots of information on this. Now, we need guidance so we can pull it out of committee and get it behind us.”
Corrigan, the Council’s Rules chair, said it would also likely serve as a time to bring everyone up to speed on past and relatively new living wage issues.
“I think we all want to know what we need to do now that the living wage bill has changed a bit and it isn’t so broad,” he said. “There are several parts of the bill that need to be addressed now, so do we start over, do we refer it back to the different committees or do we have a joint meeting to figure it out?”
Hyde and Corrigan agreed a meeting between the Finance, Rules and Recreation, Community, Development and Education committees would likely be the best path to expedite the bill review process.
“But even though the scope is very narrow now, it deserves to be looked at closely,” said Hyde. “I also have a few ideas that I may draft and add to the bill to get it closer to what we all want.”
Hyde, who will remained involved as the bill goes back to committee, said it will be important to reexamine other issues facing City employees beyond salary disputes.
“It’s too early to tell, but I may introduce legislation to look at training issues, for example,” said Hyde. “We should also look at how long employees are staying in jobs that are technically part-time. It’s important to focus on those kind of things before you go ahead and establish a flat wage increase.”
“This is something president Daniels asked me to head when I was elected and I want to see it properly through.”