By LINDA JARRET
Correspondent
Labor-endorsed St. Louis County Executive Sam Page says he plans to continue his focus on economic development and good jobs for working people if re-elected Nov. 8.
Page visited the North County Labor Club Oct. 4 at the Machinists Aerospace Lodge in Hazelwood to discuss some of the proactive steps he’s taken on behalf of working people.
PREVAILING WAGE
In 2019, to ensure St. Louis firms and workers had a fair shot at winning St. Louis County construction work, Page signed an ordinance requiring payment of prevailing wages on all projects using county tax incentives.
And he went one step further, creating by executive order, the position of Prevailing Wage Enforcement Coordinator, to ensure compliance with the county’s prevailing wage laws and consistent enforcement across county government.
“In addition to passing the legislation requiring prevailing wage, we have created an office in St. Louis County to enforce prevailing wage,” he said.
RAISED MINIMUM WAGE TO $15/HR
In 2020, Page announced an incremental process to raise the minimum wage for the county’s lowest paid employees to $15 an hour by this year.
APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT
Earlier this year, Page signed legislation requiring bidders on county construction projects worth more than $75,000 to have apprenticeship programs approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Page told the crowd that they will be seeing a lot of union work in St. Louis County in the coming years.
“High-quality work that folks can get done on time, under budget and be successful,” Page said. “They won’t just have a job, they’ll have a career, and we’re looking forward to those partnerships.”
ZIMMERMAN GOES TO BAT
St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman, another Labor-endorsed candidate running for re-election, spoke afterward and went to bat for Page, who will be facing off against Mark Mantovani, who is running as a Republican.
The St. Louis County Republican Central Committee selected Mantovani – who ran against Page as a Democrat in the 2020 primary – to challenge Page as a Republican on Nov. 8, after the prior candidate Katherine Pinner dropped out of the race.
“You see very well why Republicans are gunning for him and going so far as putting all their money and all their resources into shaming the candidate whom they nominated (Pinner) out of the race,” Zimmerman said. “Then they put somebody else into that race who used to pretend to be a Democrat, used to pretend to be one of us, to pretend to care, and now is showing his true colors because they think they have a chance.”
Zimmerman reminded the crowd of what Sam Page has done for working people and the economy.
“My hope is you’ll realize how important it is that we re-elect Sam,” he said. “How important it is to pick up a seat on the County Council, how important it is for us to strike a blow for decency for working people in Jefferson City so we can get back to a place where our voices matter.”
The Labor-endorsed candidates for council seats include incumbents Rita Heard Days for District 1 and Lisa Clancy for District 5 , as well as Vicki Englund for District 3 and Kristine Callis for District 7.
North County Labor Club encourages a ‘Yes’ vote for Hazelwood schools’ Prop H
The North County Labor Club is encouraging members to vote YES for Proposition H to improve schools in the Hazelwood School District.
Sparkl West-Pruitt, a Hazelwood School District PTO member, and IBEW Local 1’s Sylvester Taylor, treasurer for the Hazelwood School Board, discussed the importance of passing Prop H, at the Oct. 4 Labor Club meeting.
The zero-tax increase bond issue would be used for school safety, athletic improvements, technological improvements and energy-efficient facilities.
“We need this bond issue to pass for the sake of the future education of our students,” West-Pruitt said. “Our future students are going to be our future nurses, electricians, and carpenters.”
She added that the Hazelwood community had never been able to enjoy “Friday Night Lights,” referring to the popular television show about Texas football on Friday nights.
“With this bond issue, we will get lights on our football field, and we can enjoy Friday night lights,” she said.
Taylor said the district has 20 elementary schools with no air conditioning in the kitchen, and three high schools with no HVAC except for heating.
“Imagine coming in off the field after practice, being all sweaty, with no air conditioning,” said Sylvester. “Hazelwood Central has two working showers out of 12. We have work to do, folks.”
Echoing West-Pruitt’s enthusiasm for Friday Night Lights, he said the district had purchased 78 acres on Lindbergh Boulevard, where they hope to build a new football stadium in the future.
- Share this story:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-