The bill, which requires businesses to provide hourly workers with advance notice of schedules, passed 14-3. GOP cited business’ concerns.
12.7.18: Philadelphia – (Politics): On Thursday, the Philadelphia City Council formally passed the Fair Workweek legislation presented by Councilwoman Helen Gym, whose cheerleaders ranged from celebrated African-American ministers to unassuming cashiers.
The bill, which includes a requirement for businesses to provide advance notice of scheduling for hourly workers, passed 14-3, with the GOP not convinced that the legislation had matured to its best-self.
10th District Councilman Brian O’Neil said the scheduling bill “makes sense” in a lot of ways. Nonetheless, he was compelled to dissent due to it not exempting collective bargaining agreements. Mr. O’Neil’s exit from the chambers after his vote was accompanied by resounding jeers.
“Vote him out in May,” one person shouted.
City Councilman At-Large Al Taubenberger offered no explanation.
Mr. David Oh, also an At-Large member, granted Techbook Online an exclusive interview upon the adjourning of Council’s more than four-hour session.
“I had to vote that way to keep an open door to employers,” the councilman said. “Today, we’re bashing large employers, but large employers are the ones that are deciding to increase or decrease the jobs.”
Mr. Oh wouldn’t go as far as to call the scheduling law anti-job. However, it was clear that he didn’t want to repel the corporate community, which had expressed concerns that the Fair Workweek legislation would alter their operations.
The low-skilled labor that the scheduling bill is germane to is increasingly being automated, the councilman said.
Mr. Oh, who noted that the bill needed more compromise, stated that large employers will consider changing their employment practices as a result of the scheduling law.
Despite his seemingly dogmatic loyalty to the corporate community, Mr. Oh offered a rebuke.
“Contrary to what people think, we have a very weak business community… they’re not even here. Why don’t they show up here and say something?”
The exhausting public testimony at yesterday’s council session lends some validity to the Councilman’s assertion.
A seemingly never-ending stream of voices took to the lectern, but all were vocal in the affirmative for the Fair Workweek legislation and the ‘Good Cause’ tenant protection bill, which also passed yesterday.
Photo #1: City Councilwoman Helen Gym hugs Rev. Jay Broadnax after her Fair Workweek legislation passes 14-3. Photo Credit: C. Norris – ©2018
Do you have previously published work that you would like to syndicate on The Good Men Project? Click here:
◊♦◊
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project, please join us as a Premium Member, today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all-access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class, and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group, and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.