Battle Continues Over Wage Law

Santa Monica approved its controversial living wage law last month, but the fight over the measure continues.

In fact, the fight is growing more heated with pro-business and pro-labor forces each accusing the other of unfair tactics.

A business-backed group is collecting signatures to place a referendum on the ballot that would allow voters to decide whether the law will take effect next summer as planned.

With just 10 days left for the law’s opponents to collect about 6,000 signatures to put the measure before the voters, labor advocates are shadowing petitioners at public places with their own “Decline to Sign” campaign. The pro-labor forces accuse the petition-gatherers of misleading would-be signers about what the city’s Living Wage Ordinance will do if it takes effect. The petition-gatherers, meanwhile, complain that their opponents heckle them and scare off would-be signers.

It is the latest skirmish over the nation’s first city wage law targeting businesses not contracted with a municipality. The law requires some large employers to pay at least $10.50 an hour, plus benefits.

If successful, the referendum would ensure that voters--not the City Council--determine the law’s fate.

But advocates accuse signature-gatherers of saying the petition would favor a minimum-wage hike, or exaggerating the increase and scope of the law. The group supporting the living wage law, Santa Monicans Allied for Responsible Tourism (SMART) filed a complaint to that effect last Wednesday with the city attorney.

A group of pro-labor clergy and volunteers dished out slivers of pumpkin pie at the farmers market, asking voters to ensure that low-wage workers get their proverbial slice too.

“Everyone deserves a piece of the pie,” said Father Michael Gutierrez of St. Anne’s Church. Gutierrez said petition-gatherers have said the referendum supports raising the minimum wage when, in fact, it could repeal the hike approved by the City Council.

It’s a charge that Tom Larmore, an attorney and spokesman for Fighting Against Irresponsible Regulation (FAIR), dismisses as “posturing.” SMART is using guerrilla tactics to drive off petition-signers, he said.

“Some of our folks felt like they had to call the police because they felt intimidated,” he said of petition-gatherers. Members of SMART counter that FAIR calls police to drive them away.

Last Friday, FAIR held its own media event on the steps of City Hall to show community support for the referendum. About a dozen supporters attended. “I think we should look at [wage minimums] nationally,” said Herb Katz, one of the two council members to vote against the law. He added that it’s unfair to target select businesses, as the ordinance does. “I think it’s a payback to unions that supported most of the council.”

FAIR members said they do not know exactly how many signatures they have gathered but estimate they will make the Aug. 23 deadline.

Last week, SMART started a mailing campaign, sending fliers to voters urging them not to sign the FAIR petitions. They also ask voters, if they signed a petition unwittingly, to formally ask city officials to withdraw their signatures.

Only 16 voters have submitted requests to revoke their signatures, according to the City Clerk’s office.

The pro-business and pro-labor forces have wrangled over petitions before. Last year, a group--bankrolled with nearly $1 million from local hotels--circulated a petition for what it called a “living wage ordinance.” Measure KK would have raised pay for about 60 city workers while banning the City Council from imposing future minimum wage laws. It made the ballot but was overwhelmingly defeated.

FAIR has spent $196,601 on its campaign and received $52,125 in in-kind contributions, according to city records.

By comparison, about two-thirds of SMART’s $33,000 campaign budget comes from in-kind contributions from labor groups.