A RESOLUTION supporting a safe and responsive workplace in The City of Seattle’s Legislative Department and providing guidance to update Legislative Department Policies, including POL-LD-100 on Workplace Expectations.
The Report of the Housing, Health, Energy and Workers Rights Committee. Agenda Item 16 Resolution 31879a resolution supporting a safe and responsive workplace in the city of Seattle's Legislative Department and providing guidance to update Legislative Department policies, including Policy 100 on workplace expectations. The committee recommends a resolution be adopted. Customer ROSQUETA Thank you very much, Mr. President. Over the last year and a half since arriving and before that, even when working at the Washington State Labor Council, the AFL-CIO, I've been constantly working to try to make sure that we're creating safe workplaces. That means not just safe from hazards and injury, but also safe from intimidation, harassment and retaliation. I'm really excited that this council and the city at large has been engaged in a conversation to respond to the MeToo movement and to make sure that those who are speaking up and speaking their truth to power, that those who are sharing their experiences of retaliation or intimidation or even assault and harassment are having their words met with action. Today, I'm excited to move for forward the resolution that looks internal to our department, in the Legislative Department and our smaller affiliated departments. Externally, from the executive branch, we have made a commitment to supporting policy changes within our legislative branch, to changing our policy, to updating our training, to making sure that we are learning from the stories directly from frontline workers and incorporating anti-harassment and prevention training on the front end. I've been excited to participate and learn from the folks on the interdepartmental task force, as we've talked about ways in which we can change the city's response to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace. And now, as we move forward with looking at our own department policies, we have such an incredible opportunity to build on that, work on the leadership of our department leaders and making sure that we have a responsive resolution. This incorporates the voice of city workers on the front line from silence breakers, from change team makers and from labor unions. We asked them directly what they would like to see in terms of amending our policies and procedures so that we can not only ensure that those who are getting elected adhere to these requirements for a safe and respectful workplace, but that we're also making sure that our staff we're more responsive and creating a safe place for people to come and share comments here. And that as electeds and staff, that we have a decorum that we expect of our communication with the public at large as well. I'm excited to make sure that the folks who've engaged with us from the very beginning of this resolution will continue to have a role in helping us shape what the policy changes will be going forward, and that our workplace resolution is about setting the table, making sure that those who've had direct experiences of intimidation or harassment are helping us understand better what we can do to update our personnel policies. We're reaffirming our commitment today that staff should be treated with respect by members of the public and by any bosses and middle management, also making sure that we're stepping up and creating not just a place for one time advice to be given, but an ongoing work group so that we can continue to advise us as electeds and our department leaders on policies and practices. I want to thank you, Mr. President, for your support on this. I want to thank Monica Simmons for her support and work with our office on this as well, and specifically to the frontline workers who provided feedback and ideas. We again here in public office are hoping to lead by example. As public employers. We want to show across the city what it means to stand up and be responsive and good employers, high road employers, as we respond to the MeToo movement. Thank you very much, Mr. President. We'd love to have the full council support as we move this resolution forward. Thank you, Councilwoman Maceda. Any questions or comments from any of the colleagues on the dais? The Casper customer. I just want to thank you for for your leadership and for working all the the the constituents and the issues and making sure that we are leading by example. And certainly your commitment as a as a leader, we should all follow. So thank you very much for your leadership. Okay. Those in favor of adopting the resolution, please vote i. I those oppose vote no. The motion carries. The resolution is adopted. The chair will sign it. Please read the report of the Gender Equity Safe Communities, New Americans and Education Committee. On. The Report of the Gender Equity Safe Communities, New Americans and Education Committee Agenda Item 17 Council Bill 119 480 An Ordinance relating to the 2018 Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy.