We can pretend it’s not happening. Or we can open our eyes and gather our strength. We can bargain with ourselves and hope maybe it will all turn out ok. Or we can strike back.
Read MoreDid a WA State Rep just endorse slavery?
It was bad enough when WA State Rep. Matt Manweller said a $0 minimum wage would be "perfect". But when a voter pointed out in an email that $0 wages haven't been allowed since the Civil War, Manweller suggested he should "add that to the list of mistakes made during the Civil War then."
Read MoreCelebrating the arrival of $15
"We’re here today because these workers walked out on strike, and walked into history. And now we’re hearing from workers that they’re now going to be able to go back to school, make a trip to the grocery store instead of the foodbank, and go to the movies."
Read More$0 is less than perfect, Rep. Manweller
It’s almost a joke — except that this guy, Rep. Matt Manweller, is actually a leading member of the Washington State Legislature.
Read MoreIt happened again. Pizza shop says it’s “very hard to survive” with $15 law — meanwhile they’re hiring, remodeling, and planning for 9 more years
Turns out that the pizza shop owner who warned on local news that $15 makes it "hard to survive" and threatens layoffs is actually currently hiring, reinvesting in his location, and banking on being around for many more years in the midst of citywide boom.
Read More"And you're wondering, 'Why are they sitting'"
Just two weeks from now, the Senate is set to hold hearings on Puzder’s nomination to run the Department of Labor. Washington’s Senator Patty Murray will be there to ask him questions — face to face, while he’s under oath and before the public. What do you think she should ask?
Read MoreTell us what you want. (What you really, really want.)
Help us build a workers agenda for the year ahead: take our What Workers Want survey and let us know what you think should be our top priorities for next year.
Read MoreATTN Senator Murray — here are some questions to ask Andy Puzder at his confirmation hearing
We asked for suggestions on questions for Senator Patty Murray to ask anti-minimum wage fast food CEO Andy Puzder at his confirmation hearings to be Secretary of Labor. You came up with some good ones!
Read MoreFast food CEO at the Department of Labor?
Tell Patty Murray to ask tough questions before confirming anti-minimum wage fast food CEO Andy Puzder to run the Department of Labor.
Read MoreDid you expect locusts?
Remember when they said a higher minimum wage would spell disaster? Well the minimum wage for Seattle fast food workers reaches $15 on January 1st… and here's what we're seeing: the downtown Seattle McDonald’s is hiring.
And it’s not just Seattle. On January 1st, the statewide minimum wage rises to $11.00/hour, because we passed Initiative 1433 in November. We expect to see jobs and more hiring across the state, because when more people have more money, it means more customers for more businesses. That’s a big part of why Seattle is booming, and why Washington State’s job growth led the nation after we passed our last minimum wage increase back in 1998.
Of course, the national environment is a little unpredictable. So what do you think — what do you hope to see for workers in the year ahead?
Take the simple survey to let us know your hopes for workers in the year ahead. Then let’s make a plan to build our strength and make it happen.
