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The "Working Families Ordinance" is receiving backlash from people who claim it will harm companies and their workers.
The ordinance proposes to mandate prevailing wages and sick time for businesses operating on county-owned property, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The proposal was brought forward by Supervisors Terra Lawson-Remer and Nathan Fletcher in July. They believe raising wages and guaranteeing protections for employees will help the county's worsening pay and housing inequities.
According to the Union-Tribune, the key elements of the ordinance is that it requires workers be paid prevailing wages, which are usually based on union wages. It would also mandate 56 hours of annual sick leave.
If the ordinance is adopted at the Board of Supervisors meeting on October 5, it would impact as many as 560 entities operating on county property mostly at airports and surrounding properties in El Cajon, Carlsbad, Fallbrook, Ramona, Jamul, and Borrego.
However, the city that would be impacted the most is El Cajon where more than 227 companies operate on or near Gillespie Field which is located on county property.
El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells believes the ordinance is a political ploy.
“We all know the county has gone very radical left, woke, and we know that the city of El Cajon is conservative,” said Wells. “I contend this is blatant, pure politics, hardball politics, and I can fight all day long. They’re attacking people that are trying to put food on the table in El Cajon. They’re taking their woke politics and they’re destroying lives.”
But Lawson-Remer says it's meant to help underpaid workers since the cost of living in San Diego County is so high.
“It’s about not exploiting workers on public land,” Lawson-Remer said. “People who work hard, who get up every day to do their part to contribute and give back. We support the families who want to put food on the table. We have a commitment to ensuring that everyone in San Diego has opportunity.”