An ordinance adding a new Chapter 9-5300 to The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Travel and Hospitality Worker Recall and Retention," to require that certain laid-off employees in certain hospitality travel-related industries are offered job positions as they become available.
Thank you so much, Council President. I am proud today to present to this body, along with my co-sponsors Councilmembers Johnson and Thomas, as well as a broad majority of City Council, to present and request a vote on the Black Workers Matter Economic Recovery package for thousands of Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia's hospitality, tourism, and airport workers. Quite frankly, and very clearly stating, there are no hotels or stadiums or Philadelphia International Airport without these people. They are the backbone of our local economy, they are the breadwinners for their families, and they are the labor and civic leaders for colleagues and neighbors. This bill is for workers like Aisha Johnson of South Philadelphia. She worked at Lincoln Financial Field and Citizens Bank Park for over ten years in maintenance and concessions, supporting her three sons, all of whom are out of work right now because of COVID. She told our Committee on Law and Government a few weeks ago that COVID has, quote, "Hit me and my family hard. It has hit my co-workers hard. It's like we are on a roller coaster with no end in sight. Unemployment has not been enough for us. It makes us anxious about when it's going Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING to end and when we can return to our jobs. My co-workers and I get worried and ask what if Aramark's revenues don't come back, what if they walk away from their contract with the Eagles or Phillies or Flyers or what if their contract isn't even renewed? What will happen to us? We need to be protected. We didn't ask for this pandemic, and we shouldn't be penalized because of it. " So today we vote on a legislation that sends this message back to Aisha. Council stands with workers who make our hospitality economy what it is. We vote on legislation that tells Aisha and all of her colleagues that her work has mattered and her work will continue to matter, because black workers matter here in our city. The package of bills before you has come together through a deeply engaged process with industry and those Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING most impacted by the bill's passage. Through business labor roundtables, meetings, and exhaustive negotiations, we bring before this body a bill that reflects the spirit of the law and careful attention to the legislative process of compromise and negotiation. I shared with all of you dozens of amendments which have been made to the bills, ensuring that industry has been heard and that we collectively are building towards Philadelphia's recovery. None of the industries directly impacted by the bill testified during committee hearings, nor are they here today, and I think that that speaks volumes to the work that has been put into amending the package so that it is fair and balanced. It ensures that we get things right for businesses while guaranteeing economic dignity for workers. We will, of course, be equally attentive to the regulatory process as well. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING I want to thank all the co-sponsors of these bills Councilmembers Johnson, Thomas, Quinones-Sanchez, Parker, Jones, Henon, Squilla, Gauthier, Brooks, Gilmore Richardson, and of course to you, Council President. I also want to acknowledge the work of POWER and OIC, the original authors of the 2016 Black Work Matters Report, which stays with me not just in spirit but in action. Most of all, I want to thank the hundreds of people that we've met over this difficult year of 2020 whose stories have driven us to action. I've walked the streets with women, mothers, and caretakers. They are black women, they are immigrants who have lost loved ones to COVID because they couldn't afford health insurance, they are single parents trying to keep a roof over their children's heads.
They have never lost faith in themselves and in the possibility of better days ahead, and Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING they understand their own determination and faith to control their own futures and to organize like hell to make it happen. So for Aisha, for Stephanie, Ron, Charles, Joanna, Kat, Nay-Nay, Renee, and Walt in Georgia, I know all of you are watching and listening right now. There's no substitute for your voices or for your power. I look forward to taking this vote in favor of this package of bills in your names. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Brooks. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilman O'Neill. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 200559.
An ordinance amending Chapter 9-2300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Protection of Displaced Contract Workers," by Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING clarifying definitions and scope of applicability.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Gym. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Council President Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Clarke.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read Bill No. 200563.
An ordinance adding a new Chapter 9-5400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Retention of Hotel Workers," to require that hotel employees receive notice of changes in hotel ownership or control, and providing related employment protections.
This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Brooks.
Councilman Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING O'Neill.
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 200479.
An ordinance amending Chapter 9-3500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Fair Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Criminal Record Screening Standards," by amending definitions, revising restrictions, and amending and clarifying remedies.
Thank you, Mr. President and colleagues. I rise to talk about Bill No. 200479, and that speaks to Fair Criminal Record Standards. It's affectionately known as Ban the Box. It is ironic that Rue Landau is leaving the City of Philadelphia's Human Relations Commission today. I recall her being one of the strongest advocates for this bill, along with Wendy Jacobs from North Philadelphia, who brought it to then Chair of Public Safety Donna Reed Miller. That's eight years ago. I remember during that time serving on Public Safety Committee how many business groups came together and they were frightened and said how this would fundamentally cause them great Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING problems and how it was just going to be horrible in their ability to vet employees. Eight years later, we find that it probably allowed them to find quality employees that they would have otherwise summarily dismissed due to the box -- the check of that box. We then, this body, many of you, in 2012 came back and tightened it up a little bit. My colleague came after that, Member Gym, to make it applicable to college students, to make sure that that box did not hinder their ability to find their better selves. 0 of Ban the Box. Why? Because the individual applying for a job, whether it's at that hotel that we just passed laws for, can come in and realize the protection of past legislation, but the person working in the kitchen who decided to go back to Community College and say, I don't want Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING to work in the kitchen anymore, I want to work at the front desk and receive a promotion and an increase in pay, is not covered by the law. Many people that once again rose -- fear, not facts -- and came back, and we had dozens of meetings. I want to applaud Samantha Williams for her patience and Ms. Landau for her patience and Community Legal Services for their patience working out a lot of those details, but they said, you know, we in the ride-share business are particularly concerned about this. Facts, not fear. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania covers ride-share, that there are certain types of offenses that no matter what this bill says, they can not be employed, and rightfully so. And they cover crimes like assault, particularly on women, but assault on anyone, and they cover these things naturally. And so I scratch my head, Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. President and members of this body, to say, well, why did they sneak back and start to raise the fear? And then I remembered the conversation. They said that this bill, by having to first offer a tentative offer of employment and then running the background check, would add three days to their hiring, three days. I would say to you and remind you, we are the poorest big city in the country. I would remind you all of the progressive legislation that we just passed today, that this is another arrow in our quiver to -- God gives and takes away. Council in its own way gives too. We give opportunity to people to have a second chance and we take away barriers to meaningful employment. One out of three African American men has been in jail, on probation or on parole. That person sitting in that cubicle scared to death that if they raise their head, that they could be found out that they had a Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING record, should not after seven years have that fear. All criminologists suggest that after seven years of not being in contact with the criminal justice system, the chances of people re-offending goes all the way back down to people who have never offended at all. Facts, not fears.
0 to just cover the person sitting in the cubicle right now saying that I would go after that job, but they might run me through, the person that's sitting in that job that when the company was bought by a new owner fears the fact that they may do a background check and find out that when I was 19 years old, I did something stupid. I will remind you that every seven years, we change. When you were seven years old, Member Green, you thought you were a rapper. When you Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING turned 14, you thought that you were in love. When you turned 21, you knew you better be a family man. Every seven years, we change, and we should give everyone an opportunity to come back to society. If not, the trends of shootings, the trends of murders in our city will continue. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilman. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Councilwoman Brooks. (No response.) Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 16; the nays are zero. A majority of members present voting in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 200593.
An ordinance amending Chapter 10-2000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Use of Three-Dimensional Printer to Manufacture Firearms," to change the Chapter title, Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING to add definitions, to add additional prohibitions on the use of three-dimensional printers, to improve prohibitions relating to the transfer, use, or conversion of unfinished firearms and certain equipment, the manufacture of firearms, and to prescribe additional penalties for violations of this Chapter.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two different days, the question now is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, call the roll.
Aye. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez. Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 17; the nays are zero. A majority of all members having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Councilwoman Brooks, I don't think we recorded you on 200479.
You're aye? Okay. Let the record reflect that Councilwoman Brooks is an aye on 200479, and that number is 17; zero. Thank you. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions?
A resolution Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING honoring the life and legacy of Joey Temple, introduced by Councilwoman Parker on behalf of Council President Clarke.
Yes. Move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing, honoring, and celebrating the extraordinary career of W. Wilson Goode, Jr., distinguished four-term member of Philadelphia City Council from Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING 2000 to 2016, introduced by Councilwoman Parker on behalf of Council President Clarke.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution recognizing and honoring Rue Landau for her incredibly impactful work as Executive Director of both Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations and Fair Housing Commission, and congratulating Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING her on her new career in academia as the "Beck Professor" at Temple University Beasley School of Law, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Yes. Mr. President, I'd like to speak briefly and say that a lot of times in Philadelphia you are around the person so much, you don't recognize how special they are until you go out of town and you go to Harrisburg and you are a part of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, which I am, and then I mention Philadelphia, and whose name is mentioned in reverence, like being a rock star of human relations issues, that in fact I figured, all right, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, maybe she's known a little bit. Okay. So we go to a national convention, Mr. President, out in Denver, and I mentioned Philadelphia, and the first thing out of their mouth Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING is, oh, you work with the Landau, like she was a Star Wars super hero. And when I start to come back home, I started looking at her different, because she is -- like there have been a lot of heads of the Human Relations Commission in Philadelphia, and many of them have distinguished themselves in many areas, but none like her. I remember when we first started Ban the Box and we were going to negotiate with members of the business community, she -- I was worn out, Mr. President. I was ready to concede certain aspects of the bill and I was getting ready to go on the floor. I'll never forget this. You got to remember she's only like 5'6". She shut my office door and said, you will not concede another thing on this bill. It is meritorious of passage. I'm from West Philly, Member Johnson. I was scared to death. I said, okay, and I literally went out, my back Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING got a little straighter, we ran the vote and it passed. I am so thankful to have met her and so thankful that she has added value to the City of Philadelphia. I move for the adoption. (Duly seconded.)
I think, Councilwoman Gym, did you have something to say?
Yes. I just wanted to be brief. First of all, I want to thank the Council sponsor for this incredible resolution to a woman who has truly been a leader in our city. I think there's very little to add to what you said, except that Rue Landau is shorter than 5'6". She can just look like she's a giant amazon. She served the City for 12 years, and she's helped define what this work looks like. She's brought us forward with a sense of moral clarity, but also an ability to do this work Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING boldly and to do it in ways that bring people in. She's the very definition of what it means to be in true partnership. It's been an honor to be on Team Rue for the last four years, but I was a fan long before I came into office. But she's been a true hero and champion, and we'll miss her terribly, but I know she's very nearby and will continue to do great work. And I just want to thank the Council sponsor for honoring just a tremendous person in Philadelphia.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
Thank you, President Clarke. I also just for the record just want to really personally thank Rue Landau and her wife. These are two amazing social justice warriors who used their legal expertise to help the most vulnerable communities through the mortgage foreclosure. There's very few Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING policies I can think of that have economic impact where one of them wasn't involved. So to Rue, thank you so, so very much for your friendship, for your leadership, and I look forward to many great things from you. Thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Next to be recognized is Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson.
Thank you so much, Mr. President. I too wanted to echo the sentiments of all of our colleagues here in Council in thanking Rue Landau for her service to the City of Philadelphia. I had the pleasure of working with Rue as a staffer when we worked on a bill to give equal benefits to life partners of City employees, and this was back in 2011 or '12. So she has been a longtime champion of the issues that we have worked on that have been so Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING important to the fabric of our city, and I just wanted to wish her well and thank her so much for her service. Thank you so much, Mr. President.
Thank you, Councilwoman. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. I as well want to lend my voice to the choir here and say a special thanks to Rue for using her intellectual prowess as a tool, in essence, to help us close the gap between the have's and the have not's, and to think that she is now going to use that same intellectual prowess to teach and train the next generation of leaders in our quest for social and economic justice right here at one of our universities is something for us to be proud of. And so, colleagues, although she is not going to be here officially Stated Meeting December 10, 2020 12/10/20 - STATED - 2ND READING working with us in her capacity at the Human Relations Commission, I would argue that we are about to get a little more, because we are about to get access to some Temple students who are being trained and taught by Rue Landau. And I'm putting my ask out there right now, Rue, I want an intern that's coming out of your class. So, look, I cannot make an ask, right, colleagues? She needs to send a cadre of them here so that they can place them with us. Thank you, colleagues. Councilmember Jones, thank you so much for your leadership in this effort. Thank you, Mr. President.