City Manager Letter

At the Ordinance Committee meeting held on August 5, 2015, SEIU Local 32BJ ("SEIU") presented proposed revisions to the City's Living Wage Ordinance.  Attachment "A" represents the revisions to the City's Living Wage Ordinance that was presented to the Ordinance Committee at the August 5

Following that meeting City administration and staff engaged in discussions with SEIU representatives in order to evaluate the revisions proposed.  Some of the revisions proposed by SEIU are ones that I cannot recommend at this time, including provisions that would require the provision of benefits and leave to contractor's employees, that would create private rights of action for employees and/or would create additional enforcement procedures that, in their current form, could pose significant legal, operational and logistical concerns for the City.

However, I am recommending for your consideration, in Attachment "B", a revised Living Wage Ordinance that includes some of the provisions proposed by SEIU.  I am happy to share that these revisions to the Living Wage Ordinance will require that all contractors with whom the City has a building cleaning contract shall pay the equivalent of prevailing wages to their employees.  Additionally, these contractors will be required to meet certain payroll reporting requirements or will be in breach of their contract with the City.  These provisions represent continued progress towards the protection of fair pay for employees in the cleaning services industry.