PITTSBURGH, PA (June 17, 2019) Mayor William Peduto and City Councilman Corey O'Connor issued the following statements today on rulings by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in favor of a city ordinance requiring paid sick leave for workers, and against one requiring safety training for security guards:
“Guaranteeing paid sick leave is a huge win for those who live and work in Pittsburgh. As I’ve long said, people should not be forced into the making the tough decision between staying home sick and missing a day’s pay, or coming in to work and spreading infection. I want to thank the Supreme Court for affirming Pittsburgh’s statutory powers to do what’s best for our people, and the four Pittsburgh City Council members who sponsored the 2015 Paid Sick Days Act: Corey O’Connor, Natalia Rudiak, Deb Gross and the Rev. Ricky Burgess.
While I am disappointed the Court ruled against the Safe and Secure Buildings Act, I am confident SEIU 32BJ, the security officers union, will work diligently to ensure that officers are prepared to ensure the safety of those working in downtown buildings,” Mayor William Peduto said.
Councilman O'Connor said: “This is not only a historic win for workers in Pittsburgh but for all of Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh's leadership on this issue has shown a path forward for other cities to enact their own paid sick day benefits. I want to thank all the workers, SEIU, SEIU Healthcare, and Pittsburgh United for their support. I also want to thank my colleagues on Council and the Mayor for supporting this bill. This is not a win for politicians. This is a win for workers fighting for economic justice.”
Today’s Supreme Court rulings are available here, and the Paid Sick Days Act is available here.
