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VOL. 10,
NO. 76
LA City Council approves healthcare worker wage hike By City News Service
T
he Los Angeles City Council gave final approval Wednesday to an ordinance raising the minimum wage for people working at some healthcare facilities in the city to $25 per hour. The "Minimum Wage for Employees Working at Healthcare Facilities" initiative, which was brought to the council through a successful petition drive, will now move to the mayor's office for final consideration. The ordinance raises the workers' minimum wage, adjusting it annually to account for increases in the cost of living. The ordinance also prohibits employers from funding the minimum wage increase by laying off workers or reducing benefits or hours. The ordinance applies only to privately owned facilities, including hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities or residential care facilities. It applies to workers including clinicians, nursing assistants, aides, technicians, maintenance workers, janitors, housekeepers, clerical workers and administrative workers. The council had the
choice of either adopting the initiative or putting it before voters. On a 10-2 vote last week, the council opted to adopt the measure without going to a public vote. Council members Joe Buscaino and Paul Krekorian opposed the measure. Because the vote was not unanimous, the issue had to return for a second vote, and on Wednesday, it was approved on a 10-0 vote. Neither Buscaino nor Krekorian voted on the issue.
"You wouldn't do it otherwise bcause the financial remuneration isn't enough. Especially at this level."
and Clerical Workers in the People who work for Los Angeles metropolitan healthcare facilities in Los area. Several workers spoke to Angeles do not have their the council before the vote own minimum wage law and last week, with one saying are included under the city's he has to work outside jobs general minimum wage of -such as painting houses or $15, which will increase to doing construction -- to make $16.04 on Friday. Los Angeles' ends meet outside of his job. minimum wage is based on Another told the council that the region's Consumer Price people working at healthIndex for Urban Wage Earners
| Photo courtesy of Terry Miller/Hey SoCal
care facilities should be able to focus on their patients without worrying about having enough money to feed their families. Some healthcare industry representatives spoke against the idea, with one urging the council to put the matter before voters so they could fully weigh the issues, while also warning it will create an
unfair playing field for some area clinics that will have to dramatically raise wages to compete amid a limited workforce. Councilman Paul Koretz said last week he was concerned about the healthcare industry in general, saying it can't keep up with the need for workers. "Especially during the
pandemic when people were burned out from incredibly long hours," he said. "They were burned out from people in their care dying. ... Obviously all of you that are in the healthcare field love helping people. You wouldn't do it otherwise because the See Healthcare workers Page 8
