As members of the State House gather for committee days and hold a hearing on minimum wage…
Movement to raise wages and raise up washington could become key issue before 2015 legislature
Poverty-wage workers will lead a rally for higher pay at the State Capitol on Thursday, December 4th — the same day the State House committee on Labor & Workforce Development holds a pre-session hearing on minimum wage.
No matter where you work or where you live in our state, you can't support yourself when you're working for nine dollars and change. And you can’t grow an economy on poverty wages, either.
That's why the crisis of poverty-wage jobs likely to become one of the key issues in state politics next year — after all, no elected official can afford to ignore an issue that’s backed by two-thirds of voters.
Who: Poverty-wage workers unable to support themselves on the state minimum wage of nine dollars and change, along with community supporters and elected officials.
What: Rally at the State Capitol to raise pay and raise up Washington’s economy
When: Thursday, December 4, 2014. Workers and supporters will gather at 3:30 pm. Program scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm.
Where: State Capitol, Olympia
Support for higher wages is spreading well beyond SeaTac and Seattle. In Bellevue, workers went on strike in September, calling for the giant fast food chains to pay $15/hour and respect workers right to organize. In Olympia, City Council held a hearing on raising the minimum wage, and community leaders are signing on in support. In Tacoma, a grassroots petition for higher pay has already gathered thousands of signatures. In Kent, Issaquah, Bothell, and beyond, supporters have sparked community conversations with letters to the editor calling for higher wages.
More information
- New research shows that US household incomes declined from 2010 - 2012 — except for the richest few.
- It takes a full-time job paying $14.81/hour in order to afford a 1-bedroom apartment in Washington State, according to research by the National Low Income Housing Coalition — and $18.65/hour for a 2-bedroom.
- Eight of the ten fastest-growing jobs in our economy pay poverty wages of less than $15/hour.
- While 14% of Washington residents have incomes below the Federal poverty level, there are more than 5,800 people in our state with annual incomes above $1 million.
Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org
Working Washington unites working people to fight for a fair economy where everyone can support themselves, afford the basics, and contribute to the economy. We launched the fast food strikes that sparked the fight for $15 in Seattle; we helped lead the successful campaign to pass $15 in SeaTac; and we work in coalition with unions, faith groups, and grassroots organizations to hold corporations & politicians accountable to community needs. For more information, including our press kit, visit workingWA.org.