Paid sick leave lawsuit prompts resignation of San Antonio Chamber Chairman

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – The San Antonio Chamber of Commerce chairman is stepping down, citing a conflict stemming from the city’s paid sick leave ordinance. Paula Gold-Williams, President and CEO of CPS Energy, made the announcement Tuesday.

“The recently escalated lawsuit about paid sick leave between the City of San Antonio and a group of business plaintiffs is a very complicated development. I have prudently decided that under these circumstances, it is not helpful for me to be in the middle of a serious and formalized legal conflict between CPS Energy’s parent organization and its customers,” said Gold-Williams.

A group of business organizations, including the San Antonio Restaurant Association, the San Antonio Manufacturers Association and the Associated Builders and Contractors of South Texas filed a lawsuit challenging the paid sick leave ordinance.

Richard Perez, President and CEO of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce commended Gold-Williams for a successful first half of the year during her service as chairman. Perez called her a model executive and a CEO with “the utmost of integrity.”

“While the Chamber is not a party of the paid sick leave lawsuit against the city, we are supportive of it, as are many of our member companies. Paula’s commitment to CPS Energy is and should be her top priority, and we recognize the challenge she faced being in the middle of a legal conflict between her parent organization and the business community,” said Perez.

Gold-Williams says she’s “hopeful that this formal dispute can be resolved equitably and expeditiously for our community’s benefit.”