SAN ANTONIO -- Around 50 supporters of the San Antonio paid sick leave ordinance gathered the Esperanza Center on Thursday night to celebrate a few wins.

First, last year the San Antonio City Council passed the ordinance. Then, this past legislative session, activists fought off the threat from conservative elected officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, to kill all paid sick days ordinances statewide.

Plus, there was concern among groups backing paid sick leave that if Greg Brockhouse had been elected mayor, the local measure would have been shelved. Instead, supporters are happy that the San Antonio ordinance will go into effect August 1.

"I am very happy. And this is just the first step,” said paid sick leave supporter Kevin LeMelle. “We still have to put out punches. We have to keep on fighting."

"The community came together. The people spoke, so this is the outcome of it," said Marta Macias with LULAC and the San Antonio chapter of the Brown Berets. 

The measure will allow part-time and full-time workers with accrued time on the job to be paid in the event of an illness.