Mayor Ed Lee has withdrawn his job protection charter amendment for the June ballot after the proposal stirred a fiery backlash from union labor leaders and progressive politicians.
Lee had proposed the charter amendment to give a stronger voice to business owners who often complain that legislation coming out of City Hall is bad for business.
Under Lee’s proposal, if the city controller determines proposed legislation could cause job losses it would undergo a special “jobs impact” public hearing before the seven-member Small Business Commission. The commission also could submit alternative legislation that would be heard at the same time as the board’s proposal. The board could not act the bill for at least 60 days.
But labor leaders tore into the proposal. They said it gave too much power to the Small Business Commission, which has historically opposed important workers rights legislations that has been supported by the Board of Supervisors, like universal health care, sick leave and the minimum wage. Amid the wall of opposition, Lee announced Thursday at the Board of Supervisors Rules Committee that he was withdrawing the measure from the June ballot.
Lee’s Board of Supervisors liason Jason Elliott said the mayor will continue to work with the board to “find a way to involve the voices of workers who stand to lose their jobs and the business owners who have to make reductions in their business.”
Supervisor David Campos, an opponent of the proposal, praised Lee for withdrawing the charter amendment. “It’s a testament to the kind of relationship that this mayor has built with the Board of Supervisor that when those concerns are raised he is willing to approach it this way.”
The proposal was a part of Lee’s 17-point jobs plan he announced during his run for mayor this November.
