We did it! Working Washington and a broad coalition of other organizations across the state just turned in 360,000 signatures to get Initiative 1433 on the ballot in November to raise the minimum wage to $13.50 and provide paid sick days. Your signature was probably one of them.
So we’re heading to the ballot.
Now we have to win the campaign — with your support.
If passed by voters, Initiative 1433 will raise the statewide minimum wage from $9.47 to $13.50/hour over the next 4 years — an increase of $8,000 a year for a full-time minimum wage worker. And 1 million people who don't currently get any paid sick time will finally be able to take sick days when they’re sick.
We all know this is good for workers, families, and communities. And more and more people are coming to understand that higher wages are also good for the whole economy: after all, when more people have more money it means more customers for more businesses.
Maybe that’s why the head of the AWB, the state’s big business lobby group, said recently that higher wages were "inevitable," and that Initiative 1433 was likely to pass. But we can’t just take his word for it – he also said the business lobby was planning to raise at least $100,000 to try and turn the tide against higher wages.
Today we turned in the signatures to qualify for the ballot, but the campaign is just getting started. Stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved as we ramp up to win in November.