Chicago Alderman Pushing Airport Wage Ordinance

June 22, 2017
Chicago alderman Ameya Pawar filed a notice with the city’s clerk’s office declaring his intention to try next week to discharge a long-stalled airport living wage ordinance from the Committee on Workforce Development.

Chicago alderman Ameya Pawar, a Democratic candidate for governor, filed a notice with the city’s clerk’s office declaring his intention to try next week to discharge a long-stalled airport living wage ordinance from the Committee on Workforce Development, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Any ordinance held in committee for more than 60 days can be “discharged” and moved to the floor with a simple majority of 26 votes, the same number of votes needed to approve the ordinance. With 24 co-sponsors as a starting point, Pawar believes he has the votes to force the issue — even without Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel’s support.

The Sun-Times report notes that organized labor’s City Council allies and unions seeking to represent airport workers have held a series of protests to press their pay demands at O'Hare and claim $1.2 million in “wage theft” from hundreds of airport employees, including baggage handlers, cabin cleaners, aircraft maintenance workers and security guards.

Read more: http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/emanuel-facing-city-council-showdown-on-stalled-airport-wage-ordinance/