Boston City Councilor Brings Baby To Work, Fights For Parental Leave
BOSTON (CBS) - Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu comes to work every day with her hands full and her baby in her hands.
"I feel so lucky my job although demanding, is flexible," Wu said. Flexible enough where Blaise even joins her on the City Council chamber floor. "I have gotten some push back from bringing my baby to council meetings and hearings," Wu said.
Although Wu is able to bring her son to work, because she's an elected official, others don't have that luxury. Right now the City of Boston does not offer paid leave for new mothers and fathers, which is something Wu is trying to change.
Wu has proposed an ordinance that would provide for six weeks paid parental leave for city workers. The paid parental leave ordinance applies to employees who've worked for the city for a least a year and the measure includes same sex couples.
"There is certainly a cost to it, but we are not concerned about cost right now. We start off with employees not included with collective bargaining and each can bargain it in as they move forward," Mayor Marty Walsh said.
Wu believes the ordinance will pass. There will be a public hearing on the ordinance in the next few weeks and then come back to the council for a vote.
