A model for economic justice from Santa Monica, CA... the local tie-in is that the discussion of affordable housing in Minneapolis is inextricably tied to the living wage. -- Holle Brian Bancroft (612) 822-6593
With two Green Party elected officials casting decisive votes, the Santa Monica City Council early this morning passed the country's first living wage ordinance to affect businesses other than city contractors and lessees. The Santa Monica Living Wage Ordinance sets pay at $10.50 an hour for employees of businesses grossing over $5 million in the beachfront city's coastal tourism zone. Health benefit compensation is additionally mandated, at $1.75 per hour the first year and $2.50 an hour thereafter. All amounts will be adjusted annually in proportion to the Consumer Price Index. Despite fierce business opposition, which included an unsuccessful million-dollar hotel-financed initiative campaign to stop the ordinance, the Santa Monica City Council voted 5-1 (with one member absent) to pass the pioneering legislation. An inclusive task force of business, community and labor representitives will be convened to hammer out hardship administrative details, and the wages and benefits will take effect July 1, 2002. Ralph Nader himself had campaigned for the ordinance during visits to Santa Monica, calling for worker justice on the beach outside the opposing luxury hotels. In the end, the law that passed came very close to the original proposal from a community group, Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism (SMART), which was closely allied with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees union (HERE) and the city's 22-year-old progressive powerhouse, Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR). "Recognizing both worker needs and business concerns, we made moderate compromises that will very significantly improve the lot of low-wage service workers in Santa Monica's tourism zone while protecting a vibrant business environment," Green Party Councilmember Kevin McKeown told the Los Angeles Times. Santa Monica Mayor and Green Party leader Mike Feinstein presided over the history-making meeting. ___________________________________________________ Kevin McKeown | Santa Monica, CA (USA) email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | 310 393-3639 /-3609 FAX http://www.mckeown.net | "Choose to be conscious" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
