“Members of the San Diego City Council secured a big victory for the city’s residents today by voting to override Mayor Faulconer’s veto of a proposal to increase the minimum wage and establish a citywide paid sick days standard. The council has now done everything in its power to advance this common sense measure and promote the economic security and success of San Diego’s working families, businesses and economy. The ordinance should be allowed to take effect next year as planned.

Nearly two-thirds of San Diegans support this ordinance, which would give an additional 280,000 workers the right to earn paid sick days and raise the minimum wage. Yet, just as they have in other cities and states, a few well-funded big business groups have already pledged to block it by collecting signatures in support of a referendum that would put a hold on the ordinance’s enactment and could ultimately rescind it altogether in June 2016. This effort is misguided and aimed solely at keeping hardworking people from having the basic workplace protections they need and deserve, even though there is clear evidence that minimum wage increases and paid sick days are good for workers, businesses and the economy. Paid sick days laws are already in place and working well in other jurisdictions across the country, including San Francisco.

Despite these efforts, today is a victory for San Diego’s working families that adds to the growing support for paid sick days and minimum wage increases we’re seeing nationwide. We commend the Raise Up San Diego coalition and the members of the City Council who stood up for the best interests of San Diego by championing this measure, and who are determined to defeat efforts to block it. All those who care about the health and well-being of San Diego must now come together to reject efforts to roll back these basic protections.”