Dive Summary:
- Proposed raises for sanitation employees in Dallas, Texas have stalled as the mayor's demands for the workers, who make about $7.50 and $8.25 per hour, faces financial hurdles.
- If the workers employment status was changed to that of a city employee, the average pay rate would increase to about $10.92 per hour. The annual cost for the city would grow from $5.9 million to $9.1 million or higher, adding an additional $1.30 per household to the current $20.64 residential sanitation fee.
- The city is trying to come up with alternative solutions to increase pay as it is anticipated that city council members, who meet on Wednesday, will not make changes in the budget; options include implementing a benchmark number to ensure payment hits a certain number or changing some workers' statuses from contracted to city employee.
From the article:
...weeks earlier, when Rawlings invoked the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington in calling for “economic justice” for the 230 predominantly minority workers who ride on the backs of garbage trucks.
“The conversation that needs to be had is does the city need to have a living wage policy that affects all employees and all subcontractor employees,” Kleinman (North Dallas council member) said. “That’s going to be a lot more than a $3 million conversation.”
The mayor and other council members said they remain dedicated to helping the garbage workers. They just need more information about how to do that in the most cost-effective and efficient way, they said.
