Philadelphia's Living Wage Law Tweaked To Include Airport Workers
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The vote was unanimous on Thursday as Philadelphia City Council tweaked the city's "living wage" law so that concession workers at the airport are covered.
"The ayes are 17; the nays are zero," was announced to cheers from airport workers, as council members approved the changes to the living wage law spearheaded by Councilman Wilson Goode.
The law requires companies that have contracts with the city to pay workers one-and-a-half times the minimum wage, plus paid sick leave. Smaller concessionaires, like those at the airport, had previously been exempt. Under Goode's bill, that's no longer the case.
"If we're going to provide taxpayer dollars to contractors, to franchises, for leases, for concessions, we're not going to subsidize poverty-wage jobs," Goode said.
The measure now goes to Mayor Nutter, who is expected to support it.
Before the vote, some airport workers said they struggle to make ends meet and have seen their hourly wages decrease in recent years.
