St. Louis, Missouri (August 31, 2015): The National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, the most active advocacy organization of blind people in the state, applauded the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and Mayor Francis Slay for passing and signing an ordinance on Friday that ensures workers with disabilities within the city limits of St. Louis will be guaranteed the same wages that able-bodied workers receive. Prior versions of the ordinance (B.B. 83) included an exemption which permitted the payment of subminimum wages to people with disabilities, but the final version of the ordinance removed that exemption.

Gary Wunder, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, said: “I am thrilled that the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and Mayor Slay stepped up and did the right thing for St. Louis’s blind and otherwise disabled population. People with disabilities work hard, and we deserve wages that are equal to those paid to our nondisabled colleagues. We hope that other municipalities throughout the state and nation will follow the city of St. Louis’s lead and ensure that hardworking people with disabilities are paid the fair wages we deserve.”