Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. The last bill to be considered is Bill No. 000539. The clerk will please read the tile of the bill.
An ordinance authorizing transfers in appropriations for Fiscal Year 2001 within the Grants Revenue Fund from the Director of Finance - Provision for Other Grants to the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is, shall the bill pass finally? The clerk will please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 17, the nays are 0. A majority of all members of Council having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. This concludes the calendar for day.
Are there any speeches on the part of the Minority? (No speeches on the part of the Minority).
Are there any speeches on the part of the Majority? The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.
Thank you, Madam President. Last night, all Philadelphians heard SPEECHES Mayor Street speak on the issue of the education calendar for the year and the issues between the City, the School District, and the teachers union. Many years ago, while in private practice, I represented the workers at the Westinghouse plant, and they were going through a long period of negotiations with the company. Progress was being made, and then suddenly one day, Westinghouse decided it had to have a decision quickly, and at issue was (inaudible), and unless a contract was agreed to by the union, they were going to impose the terms of the new contract. That occurred. There was a -- a new contract was imposed. That was followed by a ten-month strike, and the Delaware Valley went on one of the longest strikes in the history of this Delaware Valley region. It served no purpose except to create discord and animosity, instead of developing the right relationship between the management, the ownership, and the working people in the plant. I am very fearful that what the Mayor has done follows that terrible pattern that was SPEECHES set back to 1955. At that time, following several years of litigation, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania decreed that the result was a lock-out. Although the union had declared a strike, the imposition of the contract turned the situation around legally, and there were huge sums of money having to be paid in unemployment compensation, plus the many months of strike. Labor relations ought not to be conducted that way. This was a particularly difficult negotiation, because under the name of education reform, there were enormous numbers of changes. A 350-page contract that was worked out over 35 years of collective bargaining was being replaced by a much shorter contract, with many, many changes. Following the two briefing sessions -one from the union, one from the Mayor yesterday-we learned that the course of negotiations consisted of no new gains by the union on behalf of the people that it represented, that, in fact, a whole series of changes considered concessions by the union in the name of education reform, that the negotiations began in earnest. Only after the SPEECHES expiration of the contract because of the passage of a State law which provided that the terms of the old contract could not be extended. And, apparently, the City played a waiting game, waiting until the old contract expired, so that it might be in a position at a later time to suddenly declare an impasse and so seek to impose a contract. The issues between the two sides are very, very narrow. It certainly seemed wrong to attempt to compel workers to work without appropriate health and safety and particularly it seems wrong to impose an ultimatum. I don't know what the result of that is going to be, but if there happens to be an abrupt halt in the tremendous progress made for education reform and if the strike result, I think the blame clearly lies on the Mayor. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. SPEECHES If all speeches are concluded, the Council would like to note this morning that one of our colleagues has a birthday. And now we would all like to say happy birthday to our colleague Donna Miller. Happy birthday, Councilwoman. (Applause.)
It has just been brought to my attention that on Bill 000535, we do not have a certification from the controller. Therefore, l Bill No. 000535 will again be placed on next week's calendar, so today's vote will be null and void. Are there any other speeches on the part of the Majority? (No further speeches.)
Seeing none, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Council stand adjourned ADJOURNMENT until Thursday, October the 5th, at 10 a.m.
It has been moved and seconded that Council stand adjourned until Thursday, October 5, 2000. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and the motion is carried. (Adjourned at 11:10 a.m.) C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Thursday, September 28, 2000, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: STATED MEETING __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter