From the Women’s Law Project (http://www.womenslawproject.org/):
Right now, special interests are pushing state legislation that would prohibit Pennsylvania cities and towns from providing workers paid sick leave protections, through what’s called a “pre-emption” bill.
Even worse, they edited the proposed legislation to make it retroactive—which means that if passed into law, Senate Bill 128 would deprive Philadelphia workers of their right to paid sick leave, and guarantee Pittsburgh’s paid leave ordinance will never go into effect.
This edit makes SB128 retroactive, so it can repeal Philadelphia’s paid sick days ordinance.
Philadelphia’s “Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces” law went into effect in May of 2015. Before the law was passed, 35% to 40% of workers in Philadelphia, or approximately 200,000 workers, lacked access to paid sick leave, according to the national Bureau of Labor Statistics.
SB 128, sponsored by Senator John Eichelberger, would also repeal provisions in Philadelphia’s ordinance designed to protect victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Pittsburgh passed a local paid sick days ordinance in the summer of 2015. Before the ordinance could take effect, it was challenged by the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association. A court enjoined it, and supporters of paid sick leave took an appeal. This case is currently awaiting a ruling from Commonwealth Court.
Why are Harrisburg politicians pushing a bill to attack the rights of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh workers?
We will not let special interests dictate to state governments that they must pass laws protecting corporate profits at the expense of the health of local communities.
We need your help to defend workers’ rights, and defeat Senate Bill 128.
TAKE ACTION ONE STEP AT A TIME:
- FIND your state Senator in the Committee of 70’s Citizen Guide (http://guide.seventy.org/).
- ENTER his or her contact information into your phone. As an engaged citizen and advocate for equality, you should have it handy.
- CALL your Senator, say you are a constituent, and ask him/her to protect paid sick days for workers. If you are in Philadelphia, tell your Senator you don’t want Harrisburg politicians taking away Philadelphia workers’ rights. In Pittsburgh and elsewhere, you can say you hope to see paid sick days become the law.
- URGE your state Senator to OPPOSE Senate Bill 128. If you have had a personal experience with using or needing paid sick days, please share it. Your experience matters.
- SHARE this message with your friends. Ask them to help protect worker’s rights and paid sick days, and ask them to sign up for Women’s Law Project’s Action Alerts at https://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50334/signup_page/signup to stay informed about opportunities to speak up for equality for women and girls in Pennsylvania.
BONUS ACTION:
- Prepare for the vote in the House.
- FIND your state Representative in the Committee of 70’s Citizen Guide (http://guide.seventy.org/).
- ENTER his or her contact information into your phone. As an engaged citizen and advocate for equality, you should have it handy.
- CALL your Representative, say you are a constituent, and that you want him/her to protect paid sick days for workers. If you are in Philadelphia, tell your Representative you don’t want Harrisburg politicians taking away Philadelphia workers’ rights. In Pittsburgh and elsewhere, you can say you hope to see paid sick days become the law.
- URGE your state Representative to OPPOSE Senate Bill 128. If you have had a personal experience with using or needing paid sick days, please share it. Your experience matters.
Thank you for speaking up for Pennsylvania workers, and women. Women are primary or co-breadwinners in two-thirds of Pennsylvania families, and often the primary caretaker of children and other family members.
The Women’s Law Project is the only public interest law center in Pennsylvania devoted to advancing the rights of women and girls.
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