NEWS STATEMENT: Earned Sick and Safe Time amendment

Contact: Shawnu Ksicinski, 218-590-3408, shawnu@takeactionminnesota.org

May 14, 2018

Workers and families call on the City Council to pass the ordinance

(Duluth, MN)—The Duluth Earned Sick and Safe Time Coalition released the following statement:

“Duluth City Council members passed amendments to the city’s Earned Sick and Safe Time ordinance proposal that reduces paid time that workers can earn and delays the Council from voting on the ordinance.

This is extremely disappointing, but this is not why we showed up at the City Council meeting tonight.

We’re still fighting because we care about our families and our community. We’re here because workers and their families are hurting and because we know that as Duluthians, we can and we must do better.

Passing Earned Sick and Safe Time will improve thousands of people’s lives in Duluth. This matters to all of us. Small business owners with the Main Street Alliance spoke out for ESST today because as small business owners, they recognize that our lives and our interests are interconnected. 

Like us, they know we cannot wait any longer to pass Earned Sick and Safe Time. There are human consequences if we don’t take action. It’s time to pass paid sick time.

Duluth’s Earned Sick and Safe Time ordinance is about our whole community—it’s a statement of our values and who we aspire to be. It reflects how we care for one another and whose voices are heard by our elected officials.

We urge the Duluth City Council to stand with workers, families, and small businesses and to pass Earned Sick and Safe Time.”

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