Supporters of Philadelphia Paid-Sick-Leave Bill Press Council For Passage
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia City Council is poised to take up an ordinance tomorrow that would force local businesses to offer workers paid sick leave.
Supporters showed up at City Hall today to get their point across to any councilmembers who might be wavering.
The lines are clearly drawn on this controversial issue, and a coalition of groups has delivered 60,000 signatures urging Council to, as they put it, "stand with families, not corporate lobbyists."
Kaytee Riek (right), who has her name on the petition, says it's not only a workers' rights issue. She says the earned-sick-days measure is good for consumers, too.
"No one wants to eat lunch at a place where the line cook was working sick because she couldn't take the day off," she said today. "No one wants to drop their kids off at day care when the caretaker is sneezing on their kids."
The local Chamber of Commerce and businesses, particularly small businesses and restaurants, view the measure as too costly.
The bill's sponsor, Councilman Bill Greenlee, tried to push paid sick leave in 2011. His colleagues passed a measure, 9-8, but Mayor Nutter vetoed it (see related stories).
The mayor will likely reject it again, so supporters will need to round up 12 votes out of 17 on Council for a veto override.
