San Antonio could make César Chávez Day a paid holiday for municipal employees to honor the Mexican American civil rights icon and labor leader — but city officials will have to figure out how to pay for it.
“I think that this is a way to acknowledge the work done by César Chávez and the movement for farm workers and labor,” said District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, who proposed the idea.
The idea of honoring Chávez, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union, with a holiday isn’t controversial. The civil rights leader’s birthday, March 31, is a state and federal holiday. A San Antonio march bearing the civil rights leader’s name has grown each year since it was founded in 1997 — though it was canceled last year and was held virtually this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
City Council members on a key panel weighing the measure Wednesday seemed perplexed that the city doesn’t do more to recognize Chávez. Mayor Ron Nirenberg said it was “high time” the city had a holiday with his name.
“I have long thought that this city does not do enough to honor the legacy of César Chávez in our own community but also his impact in labor rights and equal rights throughout our country,” Nirenberg said during a meeting of the council’s agenda-setting governance committee.
But there’s the matter of how the city will pay for its 11,000-plus full-time employees to observe the holiday and when.
San Antonio gives city employees 13 paid holidays throughout the year — which cost about $3.9 million each to allow workers to take the day off, work it and receive holiday pay or bank the day to take off later in the year.
Press Conference Cesar Chavez at Holiday Inn, Durango Street - Cesar Chavez speaks at press conference
Al RansomOne idea was to nix one of the city’s existing holidays to make room in the budget for César Chávez Day in March. Another idea was to merge it with Labor Day as Dallas does.
The panel unanimously voted to move the matter to another council committee, Community Health and Equity.
Teodoro Zamora, center, cheers with "Si Se Puede," before the start of the 23rd annual Cesar Chavez March in downtown San Antonio on Thursday, March 28, 2019.
Matthew Busch / Contributor, Contributor / San Antonio Express News
Marchers make their way into downtown San Antonio during the 23rd annual Cesar Chavez March on Thursday, March 28, 2019.
Matthew Busch / Contributor, Contributor / San Antonio Express News
United Farm Workers labor leader Cesar Chavez speaks during a news conference on May 24, 1968. The location is not known. (AP Photo)
ASSOCIATED PRESSApril 22, 2021 at 02:01AM
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San Antonio could make César Chávez Day paid holiday for municipal employees - San Antonio Express-News
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