►
From YouTube: Inside Philadelphia City Council: Bill Greenlee
Description
Councilman At-Large Bill Greenlee discusses his long fight for paid sick leave for all workers in Philadelphia. Inside Philadelphia City Council airs on Comcast Channel 64 and on PhillyCAM (Comcast 66 & 966; Verizon 29 & 30).
A
A
B
It
a
group
came
to
us
who
has
been
advocating
for
paid
sick
leave
across
the
country.
They
first
went
to
then
councilman
now,
council,
president
Darrell
Clarke,
and
he
and
I
introduced
the
first
bill
back
Lee
was
2008,
so
it's
been
a
while
it's
that
for
a
little
while,
while
we
tried
to
garner
support
and
fine-tune
the
bill
a
little
bit
and
we've
made
numerous
changes
over
the
years,
we
did
pass
at
one
time
in
2011
by
very
close
98
vote.
I
reintroduced
it
now
is
the
main
sponsor.
B
A
I
could
take
you
back
a
little
bit.
The
reason
why
we're
here
again
is
because
the
mayor
vetoed
it
the
first
time
around
yes
and
then
in
the
attempt
to
try
to
override
the
veto
there
weren't
enough
votes
correct,
what's
changing
the
landscape
from
that
point,
when
you
couldn't
override
a
veto
to
now
when
you
have
more
votes
in
the
initial
passing
and
now
facing
another
possible
veto,
what's
a
changing
the
climate
politically
hearing
council
well.
B
A
few
things
have
happened
in
City
Council.
First,
there's
six
different
members
then
were
there
the
last
time
we
had
a
vote
and
there's
been
some
change
just
in
around
the
country
which
would
influence
us
here
in
Philadelphia
I.
Believe
more
cities
have
passed
the
law
more
cities
are
pending,
including
New,
York,
City
or
right.
B
It
has
shown
around
the
that
it
actually
can
save
money
for
businesses,
because
people
in
the
long
run,
if
you
give
them
one
or
two
days
off
sick
paid
sick
days,
then
they
might
not
lose
a
whole
week
because,
as
you
know,
oftentimes
you,
if
you
force
yourself
to
come
in
sick,
you
wind
up
being
more
ill
for
a
longer
period
of
time.
The.
A
B
The
biggest
thing
is
the
business
community
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
unfortunately,
also
the
city
of
the
Merrill
ministration
has
fought
really
hard
and
said
how
negative
this
would
be
for
business
that
we
would
lose
businesses
that
others
would
not
come
into
the
city.
We
feel
there's
no
evidence
to
support
that
contention,
but
I
understand
as
a
council
members,
either
in
their
district
or
at
large
hearing
from
businesses.
Hearing
that
kind
of
concern
would,
you
know,
would
have
legitimate
questions.
You
know
that
that
need
to
be
answered.
B
We
think
for
the
most
part,
we've
answered
them,
but
I
understand
that
it.
This
is
the
kind
of
issue
that
is
probably
never
going
to
pass
17
to
nothing,
there's
going
to
be
people
with
differences
of
opinion
and
that's
fine,
but
we're
heartened
by
the
fact
that
the
support
keeps
growing
here
in
City
Council
and
it
keeps
growing
citywide
more
and
more
people
are
kind
of
realizing
that
it
is
just
a
fair,
reasonable,
healthy
thing
to
do
to
give
people
a
few
paid
sick
days
a
year.
There.
B
B
Francisco
has
had
this
law
of
the
longest
they've
had
it
since
2006
and
interestingly
enough,
some
of
the
same
concerns
were
raised
by
business
people
back
then
in
San
Francisco.
They
were
being
raised
now
and
have
been
raised
in
Philadelphia.
So
this
is
nothing
new
and
it's
natural
that
the
business
community
would
be
concerned
about.
Another
law
mandating
some
action
by
them.
So
I
get
you
know
we
get
that,
but
San
Francisco
has
shown
that
it
again
it
does
not
have
the
negative
effect.
B
In
fact,
the
there's,
a
restaurant
association,
if
you're
familiar
with
Sam
so
go
like
Philadelphia.
It's
a
big
restaurant
city.
They
called
the
Golden
Gate
association
with
viet
minh
lee
against
the
bill
in
2006.
Now
they
have
gone
on
record,
saying
it
has
had
little
or
no
impact
on
their
business,
and
san
francisco
was
actually
rated.
The
third
best
business
city
for
business
in
the
world
by
Price
Waterhouse
now,
if
it
paid
sick
leave,
was
such
a
detriment
to
business.
B
I,
don't
see
how
that
could
happen
and,
as
I
said
since
then,
seattle,
washington,
d.c,
the
entire
state
of
connecticut,
has
passed
such
a
law
and
the
regulations,
and
each
one
are
a
little
bit
different.
Ours
is
I,
guess
I
would
call
sorta
in
the
middle,
but
there
it's
shown
that
you
can
establish
an
urn
paid
sick
day
program
in
cities
and
they
can
work
for
the
betterment
of
everybody.
It.
A
B
Know
the
critics
that
say
same
Cisco
is
so
much
better
than
Philadelphia.
Economically
I,
you
know
same
says:
every
city
is
different:
every
city
has
its
pluses
and
minuses
I
think
sometimes
they
fail
to
point
out.
The
San
Francisco
has
some
financial
burdens
that
the
for
businesses
that
Philadelphia
does
not
their
minimum
wage
is
significantly
higher.
Every
worker
has
to
have
health
care
and
have
had
a
how
to
have
had
a
vit
for
years.
So
there's
negatives.
B
We
can't
do
something
that
other
cities
have
done.
My
answer
back
always
is
why
not?
Why
shouldn't
we
be
able
to
do
with
the
fifth
largest
city
in
the
country?
Why
can't
we
do
cities
like
San,
Francisco
and
Seattle
have
done
you
know
and
lid
just
as
we're
speaking
Portland
just
passed
their
law,
so
I
mean
we
can
I,
don't
see
why
we,
we
can't
do
it
I
think.
Sometimes
the
Philly
has
a
negative
attitude
about
themselves
and
that's
a
shame.
You
know
it's
a
shame
and
I
think
it.
B
I
have
stated
many
times
that
I
think
one
of
the
things
that
hurts
businesses
in
the
city
is
not
some
of
these
regulations
that
they
complain
about
that.
But
the
business
leaders
themselves
talk
down
about
the
city
so
much
and
that's
a
shame
and
I
think
we.
We
need
to
take
a
positive
attitude
and
I
looked
at
how
San
Francisco
did
it
and
they
put
it
in
a
much
more
positive
light.
You
know
and
I
think
that's
why
it's
working
and
that's
why
I
think
it
can
work
here.
One.
A
B
A
B
Place
safely,
it's
all
that
yeah.
It
was
all
they
were
all
at
that
point,
dismissed
as
unfunded
mandates,
interfering
with
businesses.
You
know
hurting
the
free
enterprise
system,
all
those
kind
of
phrases
and,
as
I
said
right
now,
I
think
those
things
I
just
mentioned
are
taken.
Is
you
know
just
a
matter
of
fact,
I
believe
in
5-10
years
earn
paid.
Sick
leave
will
be
taken
as
a
matter
of
fact,
in
a
lot
of
a
lot
of
this
country.
B
Let
me
just
say
one
of
the
things
I'm
most
proud
of
about
this
bill
is
that
we
sat
down
with
the
business
community.
Many
many
meetings
took
a
lot
of
grief,
but
worked.
It
worked
the
bill
out
that
we
think
is
fair
to
everybody.
We
didn't
come
in
and
basically
say
this
is
our
bill
and
we're
not
going
we're
not
going
to
touch
it
and
it's
my
way
or
the
highway
kind
of
argument.
We
have
really
worked
with
businesses
and
I.
Think
that's
the
way
you
get
things
done.
B
I
think
that's
how
you
get
constructive
legislation
done
by
hearing
all
sides.
We
think
we
have
found
a
fair
balance
to
protect
employees,
giving
the
for
larger
businesses.
20
employees
are
over
a
maximum
of
seven
paid
sick
days
a
year
for
businesses,
62
2016,
19
employees
a
maximum
four
year,
and
we
understand
that
really
small
businesses,
which
we
call
mom
and
pop
businesses,
maybe
can't
handle
this
law,
so
we
have
exempted
them
because
most
of
those
oftentimes
are
employed
by
family
members.
B
A
In
some
of
the
testimony
that's
been
given
why
you've
been
working
on
passing
this
bill?
There
have
been
comments
made
by
folks
who
talk
about
being
fearful
of
employers
terminating
them.
If
they
don't
show
up,
or
you
know,
trying
to
take
that
day
and
employment
saying
well,
if
you
take
this
day,
you
know,
you'll
have
to
stay
home,
is
their
protection
for
employer
employees
and.
B
There's
a
particular
phrase
in
our
clause
in
the
bill
that
protects
employees
from
any
kind
of
retaliatory
action
by
their
employer.
So
we
hope
that
that
that
wouldn't
happen,
but
we
know
we
live
in
the
real
world
and
it
could,
and
so
any
retaliatory
action
taken
for
a
person
taking
sick
leave.
The
person
or
act
can
be
action
taken
against
the
employer
by
the
city
and
I
want
to
point
out
that
that
goes
both
ways
and
that's
one
of
the
things
we
worked
on.
B
A
When
you
look
at
how
the
bill
is
structured,
you've
passed
it
now,
you're
still
concerned
about
a
possible
veto
coming
from
the
mayor's
office.
Can
you
talk
about
how
that
landscape
looks
for
you
and
at
this
point,
what
it
would
mean
if
the
mayor
does
veto
it
and
it
ends
up
back
in
your
hands
again?
What's
the
process
at
that
point?
Well,.
B
I
am
concerned
about
what
action
the
mayor
might
take
on
this
bill.
I
feel
better
because
we
had
a
much
clearer
majority
than
we
had
last
time,
but
the
administration
has
been
adamantly
opposed
to
this
bill.
I'm
disappointed
that
and
like
as
I
said
previously,
that
we
have
tried
to
sit
down
and
have
dialogue
with
everyone.
They've
not
attempted
to
have
any
dialogue
with
me
or
any
other
supporters
of
this
bill
and
I
know.
B
Of
so
I
mean
we
have
to
be
prepared
that
it
could
be
another
veto,
I'm
going
to
try
to
meet
with
the
mayor
I'm
going
to
talk
to
them.
Hope
that
we
can
reach
a
meeting
of
the
minds
on
this,
because
it's
clear
that
not
only
a
majority
counsel
but
majority
of
citizens
of
Philadelphia
think
arm
paid
sick
leave
is
the
right
way
to
go.
But
if
not,
if
he
does
veto,
it
will
come
back
to
City
Council
and
we're
prepared
to
to
try
to
override
that
veto.
B
I'll
be
sitting
down
with
other
members
and
trying
to
convince
them
that
we
need
to
move
forward.
Councilman
Wilson
good,
I
think,
has
put
it
very
well.
If
we're
going
to
be
a
progressive
city,
the
people
that
we
need
to
take
care
of
the
most
of
the
people
that
need
help
the
most
and
that
working-class
group
of
people
people
go
out
of
every
day
and
work,
we're
not
giving
them
any
handouts
here,
we're
just
trying
to
help
them
be
able
to
maintain
their
health
and
maintain
their
family's
health.
When.
A
You
look
at
possibly
trying
to
change
some
minds.
How
does
that
work?
Just
legislatively?
You
know
not
necessarily
specifically
what
you're
going
to
say
to
folks,
but
when
you,
when
you
try
to
come
up
with
strategies
to
change
minds
who
have
voted
against
you
twice
in
some
cases,
what
are
some
of
the
things
that
you
go
through
and
think
about
when
you're
trying
to
reconnect
with
some
other
council
members
to
change
those
minds,
I
think.
B
One
of
the
things
when
we
try
to
convince
council
members
to
see
our
way
its
first
ask
them.
Okay,
what
are
your
main
concerns?
What
do
you
think?
What
why
do
you
think
this
bill
will
not
work
for
Philadelphia
and
in
sometimes
and
I-
don't
mean
this
critically?
Maybe
they
don't
totally
understand
everything.
That's
in
there,
because
the
business
community
and
some
other
critics
I,
think
have
over
blown
some
of
the
issues
in
there
or
miss
stated,
even
so,
I
think
that's
one
of
the
first
things
to
say:
okay,
councilmember
such
as
such.
B
B
I
hope
that
the
mayor
might
decide
to
not
veto
it,
or
at
least
let
it
become
law
without
his
signature,
and
we
can
move
on
because
we
have
a
lot
of
things
do
here
in
city
council,
we
got
a
very
busy
busy
budget
season,
got
a
lot
of
things
to
do
with
taxes
and
schools
and
crime
and
a
whole
lot
of
the
things.
I
know
you
know
we
could
put
this
to
rest
right
now,
because
again
the
clear
majority
City
Council
has
spoken.
A
B
B
So
that
is
not
unprecedented
I
any
stretch
of
the
imagination,
you
know
and
I
know
that's
going
to
be
a
you
know,
a
difficult
convinced
job
to
do.
For
the
mayor
on
this
I
understand.
You
know
his
position
to
Jenna.
Repeat,
I
wish
he'd
talk
to
me
more
on
this,
but
he
we're
hoping
that
maybe
a
few
of
us
can
convince
him
that
maybe
at
least
letting
the
bill
become
law
is
the
prudent
thing
for
everybody.
It.
A
Was
a
good
number
of
people
who
came
out
to
voice
their
opinion
seems
like
a
good
number
of
folks
who
showed
up
were
very
much
in
favor
of
this
bill.
Passing
for
those
folks
who
came
in
those
folks
who
we
see
in
polls
who
seem
to
favor
it
is
there
a
place
for
them
to
have
their
voice
heard
and
during
this
process,
why
the
mayor
awaits
to
either
veto
it
or
send
it
back
without
his
signature
in
that
or
even
in
the
process.
If
he
does
veto
it
for
City
Council
to
reconsider
it.
A
B
It
might
benefit
them
personally
because
they
could
get
some
paid
sick
days,
but
a
lot
of
doing
it
because
they
believe
it's
the
right
thing
to
do:
they're
not
high
paid
lobbyists
and
but
they
care
and-
and
they
are
trying
to
mobilize
as
many
people
around
the
city-
the
care
because,
as
you
stated,
every
poll
shows
the
vast
majority
of
people-
support
earn
paid,
sick
leave.
The
problem
is-
and
we
understand
this
people
have
their
own
lives
to
live
so
much
as
it
might
hurt
our
ego.
B
A
B
Time
I've
heard
many
stories,
it's
one
of
them.
A
lot
of
them
come
from
restaurant
workers
and
that's
disturbing
in
a
number
of
ways
which
I
get
into.
But
it's
it's
that
they're.
They
feel
forced
to
come
and
not
just
feel
they've
told
they
have
to
come
into
work
or
they
could
risk
losing
their
job,
and
when
a
restaurant
worker
comes
in
sick,
it's
more
than
just
how
it
affects
him
or
her,
it's
obviously
the
co-workers
that
they
interact
with
and
then
obviously
the
general
public.
B
If
somebody
is
ill
and
handling
food,
that
could
be
the
same
ways
that
you
are
IE
and
we
could
spread
that
to
somebody
so
and
I,
don't
think
we're
being
overly
dramatic
there.
I
think,
if
you
remember
over
the
last
couple
flu
epidemics,
that
we
had
one
of
the
big
things
that
was
put
on
TV
on
posters
on
the
radio
was,
if
you
are
sick,
with
the
flu
stay
home
and
unfortunately
for
a
hundred
eighty
thousand
workers
in
Philadelphia
180,000.
B
They
they
have
the
option
of
saying
home,
but
then
they
don't
get
paid
and
a
lot
of
particularly
restaurant
workers
and
other
people
in
health
care.
The
health
care
industry,
the
hospitality
industry
are
the
ones
that
interact
with
the
public,
sometimes
the
most.
You
know
we
got
a
kind
of
a
disturbing
letter
from
a
nurses
association
that
we're
railing
against
the
bill
that
you
know
they
need
their
people
to
go
out
there
and
take
care
of
their
patients.
Well,
think
about
that.
B
If
their
workers
are
sick,
they're
taking
care
of
patients,
that
will
probably
already
have
a
health
issue
of
some
sort.
There's
a
it
just
doesn't
make
sense
to
me,
and
but
what
is
heart
wrenching?
Sometimes
they
think
two
people
feel
that
they
have
to
force
themselves
into
work
and
again,
we've
heard
it
many
times.
B
A
B
Unfortunately,
it
seems
like
I'm
criticizing
administration
a
lot,
but
the
administration
just
chose
at
the
public
hearing
that
we
had
before
the
Health
Committee
are
making
that
to
just
send
the
Commerce
director
and
just
talk
about
economics
and
I'm,
the
first
one
to
say
this
is
economics
or
a
key
issue
of
this
bill.
I
would
add
economics
for
both
the
employer
and
the
employee,
but
certainly
economics
are
an
issue,
but
health
is
absolutely
an
issue.
The
bill
is
actually
titled
to
healthy
families
and
workplace
initiative.
It's
about
health
and
its
health
isn't
an
issue.