Cesar E. Chavez Annual City Worker Optional Holiday Approved By Milwaukee Common Council

Cesar E. Chavez and Alderman T. Anthony Zielinski

Chavez's Birthday on March 31st is now a Cesar E. Chavez Day city worker optional holiday for the City of Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson

April 2, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Common Council on a vote of 13-1 approved an annual Cesar E. Chavez city worker optional holiday. Alderman Joe Dudzik from the 11th Aldermanic District voted against the ordinance.

Alderman T. Anthony Zielinski who sponsored the annual Chavez optional holiday after the historic vote was taken on Wednesday stated, "I was honored to be the lead sponsor."

Last week, the Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee on a vote of 5-0 passed a city ordinance (file 131630) that was introduced by Alderman T. Anthony Zielinski, which allow city workers the option to annually take off on March 31st "as a holiday observing the birthday of Amercian labor and civil rights champion Cesar E. Chavez." Alderman Zielinski authored the ordinance and was co-sponsored by the following Aldermen, José G. Pérez,  Robert "Bob" Donovan, Nik Kovak and Robert W. Puente, including Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs. 

Zielinski stated, that it's an excellent measure to honor Chavez's legacy with a Cesar E. Chavez Day "of a man who is a true hero to all working Americans...who help bring national attention to the unsafe and unfair working conditions of farm workers, and inspired millions of people of all races to join in the nonviolent movement for farm workers rights."

State Assembly Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D) also testified at the Finance and Personnel Committee in favor of the Chavez optional holiday for Milwaukee city workers. 

On March 18,  Representative Zamarripa attempted to pull a state version of the Chavez optional holiday AB783 bill for state workers from a state assembly committee, but the bill failed after all the Republican State Assembly Representatives, including newly elected Representative Yesenia Eldermira "Jessie" Rodríguez (R) voted against the bill.

On Monday, Governor Scott Walker (R) failed to proclaim March 31st as Cesar E. Chavez Day for the state of Wisconsin. But Wisconsin's neighbor, Governor Pat Quinn (D) from Illinois proclaimed a Chavez Day.

Video: City of Milwaukee Common Council Finance and Personnel Committee March 26, 2014 unanimous approval of 131630, an ordinance establishing an optional holiday for employees to observe the birthday of Cesar E. Chavez. (Click on item 8 on list or advance to minute 38 for hearing of Chavez ordinance) Committee video