Council Overrides Mayor's Veto of Prevailing Wage Bill

The City Council voted Tuesday to override Mayor Michael Bloomberg's veto of a prevailing wage bill covering dozens of workers at city-owned and subsidized buildings.

Though an exact tally was not yet available, the effort cleared the necessary two-thirds hurdle of support necessary to be passed into law in a vote earlier this afternoon.

City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, D-Forest Hills, has been unwavering in her support of the legislation.

“Despite Mayor Bloomberg’s override to the Living Wage bill, the City Council will continue to fight for our working class citizens to ensure that they are provided a reasonable wage on projects that are funded by the city," Koslowitz said. 

The bill will raise the hourly rates of security guards, janitors and other service workers at approximately 41 buildings that receive government subsidies or where the city rents out significant space.

The prevailing wage vote came as the , including bills covering metered parking, adult ads and an effort to determine how best to distribute financial services.

Of the bills before the Council, perhaps none have been as contentious as the prevailing wage bill passed into law today—which, , seeks to lift worker wages for entities receiving taxpayer money.

Bloomberg is also expected to veto a Living Wage bill covering workers at some companies receiving public funds .

The mayor has vowed to fight any attempt to regulate wages at a level above the state's minimum wage in court.