Councilor Edwards called Docket #1043, Ordinance Amending City of Boston Code, Chapter XXIV, Boston Jobs and Living Wage Ordinance, from Committee of the Government Operations. Hearing no objection, the matter was before the body. On motion of Councilor Edwards, the ordinance was passed; yeas 13.
Docket 1043. Edwards offered the following an ordinance amending the City of Boston Code Chapter 24 Boston Jobs and Living Wage Ordinance. Chair now recognizes the district council for me is Boston Councilor Liddy Edwards. The floor is yours. Thank you very much. I first like to move to add councilwoman here as a co-sponsor. She is hereby added. Thank you very much. This is following up on, I think, a continued conversation. We know as a city we have to lead when it comes to living wages and when it comes to people who are getting our city dollars, whether as contractors or subcontractors. And we specifically need to remember all of the workers, including our custodial staff and building security service workers, to ensure that they're paid the prevailing wage as well. We have to continue also to up update and continue to move in the city of Boston as we're looking at our jobs and living wage ordinance. So this is really just making sure it's expanded to all contracts and subcontracts our prevailing wage standards. This was not this is not new. Again, this was introduced. Actually, it was filed on July ten, 2018 by the Walsh administration, but was withdrawn. And then the Janey administration did an executive order on June 10th of 2021 that set forth a prevailing wage for custodial and security, wages and contract services. However, as an executive order it may, we want to make sure that it is. We need to codify it to make sure that it is lasting and forever and continues. So this is what this does. This is a codification of the executive order and of the originally filed ordinance in 2018 to make sure that we codify living wages for our custodial staff as well as our security service workers. This is I want to thank 32 BGA, SEIU, 32 V.J. for their leadership in this. And they're pushing to make sure that we remember all workers. We're going to talk about city wages. So this is exciting. I think this is consistent. It is not at all. I honestly don't think it's really controversial. It's just bringing those workers into the same standards we hold for everybody else. Thank you. Thank you very much. The chair now recognizes the At-Large council from Dorchester Councilor Julianne Moore. Here the floor is yours. Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to Councilor Edwards for adding me as an original co-sponsor as the chair of the Committee of Workforce Development. It is crucial that we expand the Living Wage Ordinance so that as many people as possible have strong job protections in place. This absolutely needs to include our custodial and security staff members contracted and subcontracted throughout the city. This issue is personal and professional for me. As many of you know, I grew up cleaning offices across the city with my mom to make ends meet. The kinds of jobs we're talking about in this ordinance are the ones that are often taken up by immigrants and undocumented people throughout the city of Boston, people who are some of the least protected by our system. If we had a living wage and prevailing wage ordinance back when I was spending my nights cleaning offices, I would probably be better off today. We are incredibly lucky to have the city of Boston to have so many advocates pushing for us to redefine what a living wage looks like. The Boston Jobs Coalition has been working with our office for months to find new ways to expand the protections offered under the Living Wage Ordinance. They're continuing the work of the late Chuck Turner, whose work to uplift working class people across the city continues to inspire me. We have a lot of work to do to continue his work, and we see this as an opportunity to do just that. Thank you so very much and I look forward to the work ahead. Thank you, councilman here. Would anyone else wish to speak on docket zero one for three saying no takers or any councilors wish to add their name as a co-sponsor? Madam Clerk, please add Councilor Baker. Councilor Bach. Councilor Braden. Councilor Campbell. Councilor Siby George. Councilor Flaherty. Councilor Flynn. You already added councilor here. Please add the chair. Please add Councilor Woo and docket 1043 will be referred to the Committee on Government Operations. Now like to invite Councilor Braden to please take over the rostrum. Madam Clerk, please read docket number 1044, please. Thank you. Docket 1044. Councilors Flynn and O'Malley are for the following order for hearing to discuss investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and electrifying the City of Options vehicle fleet.