MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE CITY CONTRACTORS TO PAY WORKERS A LIVING WAGE

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

"The first bill before me today is Introductory Number 66-A, sponsored by Council Members Miller, Perkins, Lopez, Jackson, Comrie, Quinn, Rivera, Addabbo, Baez, Barron, Boyland, Brewer, Clarke, Davis, DeBlasio, Gioia, Katz, Liu, McMahon, Monserrate, Nelson, Recchia, Reed, Reyna, Sanders, Sears, Diaz, Dilan, Fidler, Felder, Foster, Gennaro, Jennings, Koppell, Martinez, Seabrook, Serrano, Vann, Weprin, Yassky, Stewart, Gerson and Public Advocate Gotbaum.

"This bill will require certain City contractors and subcontractors to pay their employees a required wage rate determined to be $8.10 per hour as of the effective date of this legislation, rising in increments to $10.00 per hour by July 1, 2006. If the employee already earns the required wage rate, than the bill mandates that the contractor or subcontractor provide either health benefits or a health benefits wage supplement to employees performing the work on City contracts.

"The bill contains implementation and enforcement provisions, generally modeled upon the prevailing wage procedures of state law, but providing an enhanced enforcement role to City contracting agencies and providing a private right of action to enforce final determinations in favor of employees. Contractors must certify compliance with the bill prior to the award or renewal of contracts.

"I note that the implementation role of the Comptroller has been narrowed from that in earlier versions of this bill, particularly with respect to the new categories of covered employees. I remain concerned, however, about the assignment of Executive duties to the Comptroller that was first made by the 1996 prevailing wage law and that has not been fully cured by this bill.

"I have determined to approve the bill because it provides for an appropriate increase in wages to contractor employees who directly provide valuable necessary services to New Yorkers, including in particular home health care workers and day care workers. Their jobs are honorable and often overlooked and I hope this bill will strengthen the workforce by providing a competitive wage to employees who do this difficult work."