FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2016
CONTACT: Liz Cattaneo, liz(at)jwj.org
Washington, D.C. – Local and national advocates reacted to today’s news that the Seattle City Council voted to approve rules ensuring better schedules for people who work for large retail and restaurant chains. With the Mayor expected to sign the policy into law, Seattle will become the second U.S. city, after San Francisco, to enact an ordinance to improve job schedules.
“In San Francisco, working men and women, along with labor and community leaders, successfully pushed for the first set of comprehensive and meaningful standards that improved schedules for 40,000 individuals,” said Gordon Mar, executive director of Jobs With Justice San Francisco which championed the law. “Today’s victory in Seattle demonstrates that our landmark effort was not an anomaly. We are proud to have sparked a movement of people calling for better schedules and better lives.”
“The movement for better schedules has clear momentum,” said Erica Smiley, organizing director at Jobs With Justice. “By coming together, working people are achieving greater certainty about their work schedules so they can spend time with their families while being able to support them. Seattle lawmakers are heeding the call for what communities need to thrive. Hats off to Working Washington for leading the way to another sizable gain for working people.”
Today’s announcement puts increased pressure on Washington, D.C. councilmembers, and Mayor Muriel Bowser to pass the Hours and Scheduling Stability Act, legislation that would also make more predictable and secure work schedules a reality for people working in large restaurant and retail establishments in the District.
“We applaud Seattle’s elected officials for standing with working families,” said Elizabeth Falcon, executive director of D.C. Jobs With Justice. “Now it’s time for District councilmembers to listen to residents and implement similar solutions. Study after study shows that work hours are more unpredictable than ever at great cost to people working in the new economy. Our neighbors and families simply want the ability to plan their lives and take care of their loved ones.”
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