Miami commissioners propose $15 living wage for city service workers
City of Miami Commissioner and vice-chairman Ken Russell is pushing for a higher living wage for city workers. Supported by commission Chairman Keon Hardemon, Russell has filed a new ordinance seeking a minimum living wage of $15 an hour for workers employed through City of Miami Contracts.
The ordinance calls for city workers working on service contracts in which contractors provide services over $100,000 annually, be paid at least $15 per hour on or after January 1, 2017.
A final vote on the proposed ordinance is expected when the commission meets later this month for its monthly meeting.
Commissioner Russell has been pushing for a living wage for city workers as an “important necessity.” Commissioner Hardemon sees the implementation of the new living wage as a tool to fight poverty in the city.
The kinds of service contracts that would be include in the new living wage ordinance would include: food preparation or distribution; security services; maintenance services such as custodial, cleaning, computers, refuse removal, repair, refinishing and recycling; clerical or other non-supervisory office work; transportation and parking services; printing and reproduction services; and landscaping, lawn and agricultural services.
Contractors who fall under the ordinance would be required to pay to all of their employees who provide covered services no less than $15 per hour without health benefits or a wage of no less than $13.19 an hour with health benefits, as defined in the ordinance.
Workers in the City Of Miami and across Florida is paid te state minimum wage of $8.05 per hour, while the Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, a rate that the presidential candidates seeking election on November 8 says they are committed to increase.
