NEW ORLEANS - Council Vice President Helena Moreno has filed the City’s first legislation to codify the rights of City workers to organize and form a union. While union contracts have existed within the City for decades, this legislation, first announced last month, would enshrine in law the affirmative rights of City workers to organize and the processes to collectively bargain. Nevertheless, over the past several years, the union has faced continuous impediments and delays from the Administration. This legislation intends to clearly and concisely guide the interactions between the Administration and the union to ensure that collective bargaining will occur in a timely and fair manner. 

Today, Council President Helena Moreno, Vice-President J.P. Morrell, and Councilmembers Lesli Harris and Joe Giarrusso announced the release of a compilation of action items to address surging violent crime in our communities. These Councilmembers will continue to receive feedback from the public and collaborate with the full Council on solutions, noting that public safety is the Council’s top priority.

Entergy's inability to finance the Sewerage & Water Board doesn't stop this project because the big difference is that the City now has American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars in hand. Using ARPA funds to pay for the SWBNO substation is now the most straightforward solution to funding this project, and it's also the cheapest for ratepayers. For Entergy to finance the substation means SWBNO ratepayers would be on the hook for almost $30 million in construction costs and another $7 million in Entergy profit.