(C) Verite News New Orleans This story was originally published by Verite News New Orleans and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Voters to decide on enshrining workers’ rights in city charter [1] ['Katie Jane Fernelius', 'More Katie Jane Fernelius', 'Verite News'] Date: 2024-03-21 New Orleanians will cast ballots this fall on whether to add a “Workers’ Bill of Rights” to the city charter, following a City Council vote Thursday (March 21). The council voted unanimously to call for an election on a ballot proposal for the measure to add workplace rights to the existing municipal bill of rights. These rights would include access to fair wages, paid leave and health care, as well as the right to organize a workplace union. The election will take place on November 5, 2024 – the same day as the presidential election. If passed, the proposed charter amendment would not mandate New Orleans businesses pay their employees higher wages or offer new benefits. But it would affirm the rights of workers in the city. “At this critical time, particularly with what’s happening at the state capitol right now, where there’s been a movement for anti-worker legislation, I think it’s really important for New Orleans to continue to be that strong voice supporting workers,” said Councilmember Helena Moreno, the ordinance’s sponsor. Moreno was referring to a slate of bills introduced by Republican state lawmakers that would prohibit collective bargaining for most public sector workers, as well as limit workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits. Councilmember Oliver Thomas also cited the city’s previous attempt in the early 2000s to raise the minimum wage. Back then, voters approved a ballot measure that would raise the minimum wage by $1 in the city. But that effort was later overturned by the Louisiana Supreme Court, which ruled that local cities and parishes could not establish their own minimum wage above the federal minimum wage. Louisiana currently does not have a minimum wage, so employers in the state are only required to pay the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour, a rate that has been in effect since 2009. Currently, state preemption laws in Louisiana and across the country prevent many local governments from enacting ordinances on labor rights. “At least, if nothing else, we can go on offense,” Thomas said. Advocates for the workers’ bill of rights said they thought the potential success of the ballot proposal could send an important message not just to the rest of the state, but also to big corporations that employ people in the city. “The workers’ bill of rights is super important because retail corporations line their pockets while paying us pennies,” David Williams, a stocker at Dollar General, said. “A right to a fair living wage will tell the companies that we deserve better.” The ballot proposal was the result of a coordinated effort between local workers, organizers with economic justice nonprofit Step Up Louisiana and the city of New Orleans Health Department. In a presentation on Tuesday (March 19), organizers said they hoped the workers’ bill of rights would be part of a three-pronged effort that would also eventually include a workers’ commission and a “healthy workplace” designation for employers who comply with the bill. City Hall land swap approved The council also unanimously approved a land swap between the city and the state that will allow for the relocation of New Orleans City Hall, a priority that has previously proved elusive for both Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her predecessor, Mitch Landrieu despite multiple attempts. Under the deal, the city will agree to give up a section of land it holds adjacent to the Caesars Superdome in exchange for state-owned land at Duncan Plaza, directly across Perdido Street from the current City Hall. The move is an important first step in the city’s effort to build a new City Hall on the plaza, just across the street from the current seat of city government. Critics at the meeting argued that the city is giving up valuable land near the Superdome. Mayor LaToya Cantrell has argued that the existing building, opened in the 1950s, is unable to be adequately renovated to meet the needs of city government. The land swap comes after years of failed attempts to establish a new city hall: Landrieu once proposed relocating to the vacant Charity Hospital, and the Cantrell administration also previously floated moving city hall to the Municipal Auditorium in Armstrong Park. The swap signals that the city may finally find success in moving the seat of government, though it would likely take years before construction on a new building begins. Money flowing to summer youth program, affordable housing The council on Thursday also voted to increase funding for the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. The program is open to youth between the ages of 13 and 24, providing paid opportunities for young people to work alongside local professionals and employers. The goal of the program is to expose young people to different careers in the city and give them experience that can help them later get a job. Last summer, a number of youths who participated in the program had to wait weeks or more to receive paychecks for work they performed. City officials have pointed to a number of causes for the problem, including a confusing sign-up form and data entry errors by city employees processing applications. At a council meeting earlier this month, officials said the issues have been addressed. Sunae Villavaso, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, has said the $2.1 million boost would allow the program to serve about as many participants as the 1,000 youths who took part last year. In addition to boosting funding for the summer youth employment program, the council voted to commit $20 million every year to affordable and workforce housing programs. “This is an important step toward creating predictability in available housing funding,” Councilmember Joe Giarrusso, the sponsor of this ordinance, said. “This money provides more certainty as to the amount of money available, for what purposes it can be used and how decisions about funding will be made.” For the upcoming budget year, money will be dedicated to a first-time homebuyer program, affordable housing gap financing, tenant eviction assistance and other programs designed to rehabilitate housing and make it more energy efficient. This is separate from a ballot measure first proposed by Councilmember Lesli Harris for a charter amendment to permanently dedicate 2% of the city’s budget to a housing trust fund. Voters will decide in November whether to permanently enshrine financing for affordable housing support through that measure. Related Republish This Story Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. [END] --- [1] Url: https://veritenews.org/2024/03/21/voters-to-decide-on-enshrining-workers-rights-in-city-charter/ Published and (C) by Verite News New Orleans Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 US. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/veritenews/