Cambridge Council Supports Building Workers Union, Talks Single-Use Plastics Ban in Flurry of Policy Orders

In a whirlwind two-hour sprint of legislating, the Cambridge City Council discussed eight policy orders — passing seven unanimously — in its penultimate Monday meeting ahead of the city’s 2023 municipal elections.

With the contentious amendments to the Affordable Housing Overlay behind them, the Council found considerable consensus as it addressed union support, single-use plastics, broadband, and pollution responsibility.

Councilor E. Denise Simmons expressed strong support for a policy order backing Cambridge’s 32BJ SEIU members, who are primarily building workers in businesses and universities — including Harvard’s custodial staff and Securitas guards.

“We absolutely cannot allow all the talk of heroism to be mere lip service. These men and women deserve fair contracts, family sustaining wages,” Simmons said. “I can’t say that enough — family-sustaining wages, fair benefits, and most of all, respect.”

Councilor Marc C. McGovern said he hopes “businesses in Cambridge start to get the message that we expect them to do the right thing out of the gate” without pressure from the Council.

“I’m proud to do it — happy to do it — and we’ll always do it, but we shouldn’t have to do it,” he said.

Following discussion at the Health and Environment Committee meeting last Tuesday, Councilor Patricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80 proposed a policy order requesting the city manager explore a ban on single-use plastics.

Though voting in favor of the exploratory process, Councilor Paul F. Toner said he wants to ensure the involvement of local businessowners and “folks who rely on the use of plastics.” He also said for the Council to make the “switch,” manufacturers must switch first.

“I agree with the ambition. I just want to make sure that we engage everybody involved,” he said.

Councilor Quinton Y. Zondervan disagreed and said the Council should act first.

“We can’t wait for the manufacturers and all these other things. We have to get this done in order to show other communities that this can happen just like we did with plastic bags,” he said. “Until they see that we are going to demand it, they have no incentive to actually do it.”

The final policy order passed Monday night established the Council’s support for bill H. 872 — a proposal in the Massachusetts Legislature to form a climate change superfund and encourage polluter responsibility.

“We all pay the costs, and we don’t get the profits that the companies have,” Nolan said. “This is ‘Make polluters pay for what they’re actually doing,’ not ‘Make them pay extra for something they’re not doing.’”

Councilors also passed a policy order directing the City Manager to produce a report on municipal broadband and digital access by December.

The Council will meet next on Nov. 6 at its usual time, 5:30 p.m. On Nov. 7, voters will head to the polls to decide the city’s next slate of councilors.

—Staff writer Jina H. Choe can be reached at jina.choe@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Samuel P. Goldston can be reached at samuel.goldston@thecrimson.com.