speakers that we as elected officials, those that serve, any kind of a position head if you're a doctor, lawyer, head of a religious organization, there's a higher standard we have to hold ourselves to and we need to remain above the suspicion of any kind of impropriety so let's give ms. paskin-jordan an opportunity to come, state her position and we will then wait to hear what the ethics commission will find and i hope this body will adhere to what the ethics commission has found. thank you. >> thank you. supervisor breed. >> thank you. i too will be supporting the continuance. i think that it is very rare that this body brings before us any of the mayor's appointments for questioning and it is clear that we have a number of questions when

ethics are at kwez in a situation of this nature and magnitude involving our retirement board, it is important that not only we have this discussion and we make sure that we're asking the right questions an we're bringing to light all the thing that is are of concern, not only to us, but the members of the public. it's important that person is here to answer those questions directly. i appreciate the motion on the floor. >> thank you colleagues. any further discussion on this item? seeing none, we do have a motion before us by supervisor campos and seconded by supervisor avalos to continue item 47 to january 7, 2015. it looks like we'd like to hold this at 2 o'clock pm t. let's go to roll call vote. >> supervisor wiener. >> i. >> avalos. >> i. >> breed. >> i. >> campos.

>> i. >> cohen. >> i. >> farrell. >> i. >> kim. >> i. >> mar. >> i. >> tang. >> i. >> there are 9 is. >> this motion to continue item 47 has been approved unanimously to january 7, 2015 at 2:00 pm. madam clerk can we please call our next special 3:00 pm ord erp and before that we need to go to item 6 h. 4. >> item 64 sit on december 16 today at 3:00 pm to hold a public hearing to consider and discussion issues arising from the labor dispute from the san francisco national restaurant. >> at this time we'd like to take public comment on item 64 and this is just on whether the board should sit as a committee as a whole to

consider the are there any members up to two minutes? >> i'd like you to stay as a committee as committee as committee as committee asa whole because --[singing >> thank you members of the public on item 64. seeing none, public comment is closed for item 64 and can we take that without objection to approve this motion. this motion is approved. now we can proceed to item 48. >> item 48 is a hearing to consider and discuss the issues arising from a bailor dispute at the san francisco international airport restaurants. >> thank you. supervisor mar.

>> we're joind in our chambers by dozens of hard working employees from our san francisco airport and this motion that i've made along with my colleague, supervisor campos, is in respect to the workers that the 1,000 plus workers that work in the restaurants, but also to appreciate the airport who have been working with local 2 to come to an agreement and despite the strike over friday and saturday and otherwise labor conflicts, i'm hopeful there will be an agreement. i've heard and i know the word is spreading that there is an agreement, but it's not finalized until it's signed. i think i was up until about 2:00 am to come to an agreement that respects the contract workers that have

not had had a contract for about a year-and-a-half. i wanted to say that we're talking about workers that work at about $14.05 an hour and the average pay was $24,000 a year try to live in san francisco or in other areas on that salary are very challenging and workers that have been without a contract for about a year-and-a-half. i wanted to also just acknowledge that two weeks ago, supervisor avalos we heard in the budget and finance committee a proposal to extend as restaurant lease by ten years. we heard a growing dispute from the workers themselves from the sfo food and beverage. speakers expressed indilg dignation to us that the city

would be granting lucrative lease extensions to those who run the restaurants and foregoing the competitive bid process, while about a thousand employees at those outlets are facing job insecurity and a loss of health coverage. since that hearing there's been a lot of work, but also a two day walk out on friday and saturday despite the storm and it was really effective. a strike business 1,000 workers in any industry should draw our attention. the travel industry in our beloved san francisco airport, especially during the holiday season is a seriousish shun ish issue and could have the potential of hitting our city very hard economically. and from their last

impression or -- and visitors who come to san francisco through the airport and leave through the airport, sometimes it's the last impression they have of our city. i think having labor piece an moving forward it's really critical so full awareness for our board is critical. as the city is the landlord to the food and bev rage and we take about $18 million a year in rent with these operations and also it's essential to the funding of the operations of the airport and that revenue stream is endangered by disputes like this one that boiled over last week. this is one of the largest employment base this is the region employing many thousands of workers and the quality of these jobs as we'll hear in a moment as the airport is a huge importance

to our communities an families from our communities as well. it affects who can pay rent and who's in danger of losing their homes, it affects who gets health care security and who riskings falling deeply in debt when families fall ill. this is so much around us, not just at the airport, but it's our whole economy that's impacted and it has huge implications for our city and as such we felt this miles merited can know that there is ha tentative agreement that's already been acknowledged to me, but i think hearing your stories and voices is critical, but the you can do your best to be sus say that

it is my hope that that said,

let me say that it is very upsetting to me that we have to resort to having to have this hearing. the fact is anyone who has traveled the airport but here in sfo knows when you're traveling through an airport you're a captive audience. you can't even bring water

into the facility. you are subjected as the traveler to whatever prices are imposed on use by the vendors are selling at the airport. we have been careful in selecting vendors and second that we protect the traveler and worker. personally i want vendors that actually -- that represent the very best of san francisco, not only in terms of the food an things being sold, but also in terms of practices that are being followed and tp idea to me that we could have vendors that in fact are not treating their workers fairly is something that i have a problem with and i personally feel that the vendors that are selected should be in compliance with the highest standards that we hold as a

city an key among those standards is the idea you treat you workers well, especially when changes the kind of prices that you're charging to those of us who travel. the fact that we have workers taking $24,000 a year and that you have vendors that are not willing to provide them not only fair pay, but fair and basic health benefits is problematic to me. i hope there is a resolution, that this strike is avoided, but if that's not the case i want to make sure that people know we have an obligation to make sure that the people that are selected to be vendors at this airport, that they truly reflect the values of this city. and if there is no settlement i think that we have to make sure that we look very carefully into what is happening with these vendors. what is it that they're doing, what kind of practices are they engajed in, not only in terms of the workers, but in

terms of the traveler. how is it that we can have labor strife when you have the kind of prices that are being charged at san francisco airport. why is it that we have to come and have a hearing like this? when i went to the airport i talked to a lot of the workers. many of them are women, women of color, many of whom have dedicated decades of their lives to making a lot of money for these companies, making san francisco international as successful as it is. i'm hoping for the best, but if there is no resolution, we have an opportunity and obligation to act and look beyond the issues of work and are they really reflect tg values of san francisco. and especially in the

holidays we have to go through this i think it's sad so i'm hopeful, but i think it's important for us to remain individual lent. vigilant. >> thank you. if anyone would like to speak, come to this side of the room, but i know we have first a representative, rank and file leader from local 2 to talk the negotiationings and if there's any employer representative please come forward as well. mr. sing, thank you for being here. >> thank you supervisors. i want to just make clear that there is no tentative agreement in place. there has been some progress that's been made, but there's still issues outstanding. i'm joined by dozens of our members who work in the

restaurants at the airports and have been negotiating patiently for this contract for over a year now. they have been met with resistance by their employer. the action that occurred thursday and friday, the strike by these members was to sends a clear message to their employers at the airport that we're very serious about wanting a contract, which will include healthcare insurance and job security. the employers insistence that they would not put one penny towards the rising cost of healthcare over the past five years was the impetus for that strike. if members' health care is

not taken care of in this contract, the about $24,000 a year. well, the restaurants at the airport who are making great profits have, you know, seen the revenues increase 34% in the last three years. by not putting any money towards health care before this action occurred last week, some of these workers have worked for 350 and $400 a month for family medical and again, if we've made some great progress in the last 48 hours and a lot of that, credit due to our rank and file commit three and credit due to john martin and his team really bringing folks together and trying to make this happen, but we're not yet at place where we can announce a deal.

i think it's important for folks to hear what we have to say. from our members, we'll hear why these issues are important. two, some of the irregularities in these restaurants around pricing. some strange stories about how menu prices have gone up and how that may impact travelers going in and out of san francisco airport. and three, and probably most appallingly, some of the behavior of these employers leading up to the strike last week and during the strike last week, behavior that goes beyond the pail of behavior in san francisco. we've seen it from hotel employers, but haven't seen it come from public land. we're asking this body as

landlords at the airport to look at the situation and ask the questions we'd hope you ask an with that i'd turn it back to you. p >> now we'll ask if the members can come forward and if there are any reps please come forward. >> thank you. each member has up to two minutes. >> i appreciate your long hours you put in in trying to get the airport in many shape. one concern is that contract of compliance -- it's been noted that many of the contract that are awarded are awarded with no bed. i wish you, the board, would look into that and see why that some businesses are

awarded without going to bid. now, we have other businesses that are really, really interested in putting business out to the airport, but since there's no bid situation in many of them, namely the airport -- the airport has duty free. duty free has been in the airport for -- in the 90s and their contractors keep turning over. they don't have the bid and along with some others. we'd like for the board to look into that and see why that we can't make that field level playing field so other businesses can [inaudible]. thank you. >> next speaker. >> i've been around this

[inaudible] i'm very concerned of organizations and these groups that particularly put that word out representing the african american in this city. i'm doing a year of reporting that's going to reflect on what the african american chamber of commerce and the naacp -- those individuals that say they're representing- >> we're talking about labor issues at the airport right now. please respect the workers

and stick to the issue. . >> it's about the workers and african american citizens. i hate -- if this man can get up here and sing when he want to and you don't stop him, you have no right to stop me. >> stick to the issue. >> i've been here for 20 something years. i know the game. i'm true to this. so let me speak what i got to say. >> thank you, next speaker, please. >> thank you. >> he took 30 seconds from me. y'all going to have to respect me. i've been in this city hall, which i call silly hall for over 25 years. let me carry on what i wanted to say about the african american commerce and naacp. going back to the tourists,

we want to report on what has happened with that boycott because if that don't come through us we might boycott the boycott. thank you. >> thank you. next speaker, please. if you could please confine your comment to item 48. thank you. >> hi, my name is molly gomez and i participated in the 48 hour strike. i've worked at sfo for about 35 years and we're striking for decent wages, job security and secure health benefits. it costs me more than 2/3 of my annual wage for housing and that leaves me 1/3 for everything he is. i have two daughters. i am very concerned about my healthcare and my job security.

i need to know that if, god for bid, they have a medical emergency while out at school they'll be taken care of. i need to know that i have a job so i can pay for their college. the company wants to freeze the cost they pay for healthcare for six years while their revenues have increased by 34% over the last these years. they keep raising their pricing up and up and i don't think they're getting approval from you. they raised the price for a bloody mary and within the hour they raise it another dollar. god for bid a customer wants to put a slice of tomato,

another 3 bucks. please pay attention. thank you. because i can't

access the tip jar until the end of the shift when they decide to unlock it for me and let me have it. on behalf of all the members that you will hear from today, i ask that you continue to support us in this effort to make sure that these employers do the right thing. thank you. good evening supervisors. my name [inaudible]. i have been working at the airport for five years. my concern for hair care and

we just increase it. all the consumption going up and since one-and-a-half year we're waiting for that one and then a hair care too is important for me because i have [inaudible] to do my bid. thank you. you >> good afternoon, board of supervisors. my name is fernando salazar and i've been working at the the airport for two years as a line cook. also i need a group contract

with good healthcare because the cost of living has been increasing, as we know, every single day. i'm looking forward to have a good contract to stay working at the airport. also i need good healthcare for me and my family. also, we need an increment on our retirement pension, i hope it's coming on the contract. healthcare is especially important to me because we have been worker every day at the airport and i need my medical insurance to go and check my health. also, supervisor campos mentioned that people is trapped at the airport so are

we, the workers are trapped there taking care of a thousand and thousands of people every day at the airport and sometimes we are under staffed. so we have to do two, three jobs at the same time because we aud and we are very tired. thank you very much. >> my name is dana jobe and i'm a line cook at the the airport. i've been working there since 1993. i was laid off a few years ago and i was called back to work, but i want to talk about the behavior of the owners. and incident that happened before the strike last week, my boss, one of the owners of mission bar and grill, called

myself and two other cooks into her office and started ed talking to us and the conversation was about healthcare and the thing that really irked the crap out of me was that she brought up the fact that she had spoken to a lawyer and she said that we could be terminated if we went on strike. . how would you feel if you were told that? and we also talked about healthcare and she reiterated what molly had spoken about, freezing the healthcare because they felt they were paying enough it had been brought up in a contract negotiation meeting about bringing an whether or not contributions would be needed

and my boss told me that oh, well, the union reneged on that, which is absolutely false. and one other thing i want to bring up, i'm 65 years old, i have a 12-year-old daughter that my wife and i adopted. how would you feel if you had worked 20 years at the airport, i'm vested for 19 years and your monthly mention is $280. >> thank you very much. sir, can i just ask you, despite the intimidation from the owners, my understanding is that the strike was about 85% successful and your strike vote for the union was about 99% so despite the intimidation local 2 stand strong and there is a really