Published: March 10, 2010

City Council is gearing up for a fight for living wages in New York.

Bronx City Council members Oliver Koppell and Annabel Palma will introduce legislation to guarantee workers more than minimum wage in some circumstances, during an upcoming Council session. But an earlier bill could be an indicator of how receptive City Hall is going to be to this kind of mandate.

Called “the good jobs bill,” Intro 18-2010 was introduced at a February meeting by Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito. The bill would guarantee “good” wages above minimum wage, health care and other benefits to workers, though only at city-subsidized developments and work sites. Approximately 40 workers and politicians gathered at the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative Monday evening to rally in support of the bill.

“The city should not be funding projects that provide jobs that are not good jobs,” said Kyle Bragg, vice president of 32BJ, the union representing 70,000 building service workers in New York. “When our tax dollars are used … [we want] good-paying jobs with benefits for workers in our community.”

Several union workers spoke at the rally, sharing personal experiences of how their jobs enabled them to raise families and asking the city to do the same for all workers.

“I know how important it is to have a good job,” said Elpidio Molina, 52, a resident of the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative who has also worked there for 22 years as a building porter.

“All these big-shot developers don’t do the right thing,” Mr. Molina said after the rally. “My job is good thanks to my union and … we need to help the rest of the people.”

The council members at the rally spoke about the importance of ensuring good wages for workers around the city.

“The principle behind this legislation is very important,” Mr. Koppell said. “It’s important that when we spend government money, that the money goes to support decent jobs with decent wages.”

“Workers in the Bronx always seem to get paid less for the same kind of work,” agreed Councilman Fernando Cabrera. “We’re standing with you and we’ve got your back.”

He also noted that better-paying jobs allow parents to cut back on their hours and spend more time with their children. The bill would have a big impact on families, Mr. Cabrera said.

“I’ve seen what happens to young people who don’t have parents at home,” he said. “Your children need you at home, but they also need you to bring the dough home.”

Getting fair wages for workers is a priority, said Councilman Maria del Carmen Arroyo.

“This is real simple, no-nonsense, idiotproof work that we have here today,” she said.

All three promised to support Ms. Mark- Viverito’s bill, and to lobby Speaker Christine Quinn on behalf of the unions.

Aside from the members of the Bronx delegation who were present, more than 20 council members, out of the total of 51, have pledged their support to the union by co-sponsoring the bill. Union reps will make the rounds in all five boroughs to try convince more officials to get on board.

City officials will closely watch the success — or failure — of this bill as an indicator of how the living-wage legislation will fare.