Milwaukee Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee Unanimously Passed Cesar E. Chavez Day Optional Holiday For City Workers

Cesar E. Chavez and Alderman T. Anthony Zielinski

The Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee with a 5-0 vote passed a proposal by five aldermen and an alderwoman co-sponsoring a Cesar E. Chavez Day city worker optional holiday.

By H. Nelson Goodson

March 26, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, 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 would 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. 

The Chavez Day optional holiday ordinance now goes before the full Common Council for approval on Wednesday, April 2, 2014. Alderman Zielinski when contacted by Hispanic News Network U.S.A. on Wednesday said, that he expects for the Chavez Day optional holiday ordinance to pass before the full Common Council meeting in April.

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 in favor of the Chavez optional holiday for Milwaukee city workers before the Common Council's Finance and Personnel Committee on Wednesday. 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.
Christella Cielo Juarez, a city employee testified in favor of the Chavez holiday ordinance. Juarez has been an active Cesar E. Chavez supporter and continues to advocate for Chavez's recognition and accomplishments.

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 or advance to minute 38 for hearing of Chavez ordinance) Committee video