Lawmakers to hear directly from minimum wage workers on Tuesday & Thursday this week

Fast food workers take minimum wage campaign to State Capitol on Tuesday, then City Hall on Thursday

Legislators and city councilmembers will hear directly from workers trying to survive on poverty wages

Fast food workers are taking the fight for good jobs & a stronger economy to state legislators and city councilmembers this week, as momentum behind the campaign to raise the minimum wage spreads from Seattle to Olympia to Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, fast food workers will testify before elected officials in Olympia who are considering a statewide proposal for a $12 minimum wage. Then on Thursday, they will bring the stories of their lives, their work, their families, and their struggles in one-on-one meetings with city councilmembers who are considering a $15 minimum wage for Seattle. (Fast food workers leading the Good Jobs Seattle campaign believe progress towards a $12 statewide standard is an extremely positive development, but remain committed to winning $15 for Seattle.)

Who: Poverty-wage fast food workers

What: Testify before the House Labor & Workforce Development Committee in support of HB 2672, the $12 minimum wage bill on Tuesday, then meet with city councilmembers Thursday in support of a $15 minimum wage for Seattle.

When & Where: - Olympia: Tuesday, February 4, 2014, 1:30pm, House Labor & Workforce Development Committee, House Hearing Room D, John L. O’Brien Building, Capitol Campus - Seattle: Thursday, February 6, 2014. Media availability beginning at 9:00 am — more details available tomorrow.

Fast food workers are taking their stories to lawmakers just a week after McDonald’s had its own lobby day in Olympia in support of the corporate interests of the multi-billion-dollar corporation and its major franchisees.

More information:

Sparked by the 2013 fast food strikes and the landmark victory of SeaTac Proposition 1, Good Jobs Seattle seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle’s economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that pay enough for workers to support themselves and contribute to the local economy. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by Working Washington, SEIU Healthcare 775NW, OneAmerica, Teamsters 117, Washington CAN! and hundreds of workers and community members across the city.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org

THURSDAY: Fast food workers lead day-long march from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall

Final route and timing info for epic fast-food-worker-led march for $15 from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall

Carrying on the momentum of the landmark victory for the $15 minimum wage in SeaTac, fast food workers will lead a day-long, 8-hour march on Thursday, December 5th that traces the $15 movement’s path from our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination — Seattle City Hall.

March route: International Blvd to Boeing Access Road to MLK to Rainier to Jackson to 4th. (Map available online with route and timing information.)

March timing:

  • 9:00 - brief program at SeaTac Hilton Conference Center, 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac
  • 9:30 - march departs, heading north on International Blvd
  • 10:30 - marchers pass Abu Bakr Mosque, 14101 International Blvd, Tukwila
  • 11:40 - marchers enter Seattle city limits (Boeing Access Rd & MLK)
  • 12:00 - marchers reach MLK Way S & S Henderson St
  • 1:00 - lunch en route - northwest corner of Brighton Playfield (6000 39th Ave S)
  • 1:20 - march continues
  • 2:30 - Marchers reach Rainier & MLK
  • 4:00 - Supporters gathered at Hing Hay Park (423 Maynard Ave S) join march at Jackson & Maynard
  • 4:30 - Rally at City Hall (600 4th Ave)

Please note: times are estimates for planning purposes. For minute-by-minute updates throughout the day as we make our way from SeaTac to Seattle, we will be livestreaming our location during the march on goodjobsseattle.org and on twitter at #onthemarch.

Sparked by this summer’s fast food strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle’s economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, Good Jobs Seattle: sage@workingwa.org

 

 

Day-long march to take $15 movement from SeaTac to Seattle City Hall on Thursday

Marchers to leave SeaTac at 9:00am Thursday December 5th, arrive at Seattle City Hall 4:30pm Seizing on the momentum of the landmark victory for the $15 minimum wage in SeaTac, fast food workers and community supporters will mount a day-long, 8-hour march on Thursday, December 5th that traces the $15 movement's path from our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination — Seattle City Hall.

Who: Poverty-wage workers who work in fast food, at the airport, and other industries, joined by faith leaders and other community supporters

What: Launch an all-day march for $15 and a better future, leaving from the site of our first big victory in SeaTac to our next destination: Seattle City Hall.

When & Where: Thursday, December 5th. (March route: International Blvd to Boeing Access Rd to Martin Luther King, Jr. Way to Rainier Ave to Jackson to 4th.)

- 9:00 am: $15 march kicks off at SeaTac Hilton (which is covered by the SeaTac Good Jobs Initiative), 17620 International Blvd, SeaTac

- 1:00 pm: $15 march pauses for lunch en route at Brighton Playfield, 6000 39th Ave S, Seattle

- 4:00 pm: All-day $15 marchers joined by additional supporters at Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave S, Seattle for final stretch to City Hall

- 4:30 pm: Rally for $15 from SeaTac to Seattle at City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle

 

Before the first Seattle fast food strike in late May, the $15 minimum wage sounded like an impossible dream. Just 6 months later, it's more than possible: it's set to become a reality for more than 6000 poverty-wage workers in the travel & tourism industry in SeaTac, including the people who work at the McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's in our airport.

The victory for $15 in SeaTac shows that workers and community members can stand up to giant multinational corporations, turn the tide of income inequality, and kickstart the economy by ensuring thousands of workers are paid enough to afford basics like food, rent, and transportation.

Adding to the momentum from SeaTac, candidates who expressed support for fast food workers and the $15 movement won several key Seattle elections:

Sparked by this summer's fast food strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, Good Jobs Seattle: sage@workingwa.org

From SeaTac to Seattle and beyond, low wage workers celebrate landmark victory for $15 movement

Election results in bring new momentum to fast food workers struggle Seattle fast food workers are celebrating tonight's election results, citing the strong vote for the SeaTac Good Jobs Initiative as an example that is sure to inspire further advances for the $15 movement in Seattle and across the country.

“The victory in SeaTac means that workers at the Wendy's, McDonald’s, Burger King,  and Starbucks at our airport will see their pay rise to $15/hour along with thousands of others,” said Ryan Parker, a fast food striker who works at Wendy's in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. “If they can do it in SeaTac, we can do it in Seattle too.”

At the same time as SeaTac voters cast their votes decisively for the Good Jobs Initiative, which will ensure a $15 minimum wage for more than 6000 workers in an around the airport, Seattle voters elected Ed Murray as mayor after a campaign where the candidates aggressively competed over who would do more to support low-wage workers. The mayor-elect has vowed to push for a $15-an-hour minimum wage, writing in his Economic Opportunity Agenda that "Seattle should not wait for state or federal action" to "move forward on achieving the goal of a $15/hour wage for large-scale industries like national big box and fast food brands."

Now that a small city of 30,000 has defeated the scare tactics of the Koch Brothers and cast their ballots for prosperity, workers and community supporters will be looking to Seattle to take the next step as our region leads the way forward in the $15 movement.

Inspired by the victory in SeaTac, Seattle fast food workers are determined to work with the new mayor & city council to ensure that their campaign commitments become realities. The voters have spoken: it's time to address the crisis of income inequality and build a sustainable economy from the middle-out, by putting more money in the paychecks of the people who need it most.

SeaTac Proposition 1 will will ensure a $15 minimum wage for more than 6000 workers in an around the airport, including workers at the airport McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Starbucks.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, Good Jobs Seattle. sage@workingwa.org

$96 million in Washington, $7 billion nationally: the public cost of fast food poverty wages

National chains profit by leaving workers in poverty, shifting costs to the rest of us.

Poverty wages at food chains cost the public $96 million in our state, and almost $7 billion nationally, according to two new reports unveiled today by fast food workers and community supporters outside the SoDo Burger King (3301 4th Ave S), including State Representative Zack Hudgins (11th District).

"Corporations are making profits and passing the costs onto us. There's no excuse for that," Representative Hudgins explained. "I'm going to be talking to my colleagues in Olympia about this cost shifting. We are going to do something about it!" Note: Rep. Hudgins is available for comment this afternoon.

The research shows how the big national chains pad their profits by paying such low wages that nearly 12,000 fast food workers in our state alone need assistance from food stamps or another anti-poverty program to fill the gap between what they're paid, and what it takes to survive.

"Because Burger King pays such low wages I actually had to borrow money from my father -- for underwear," said Jason Harvey, who has worked at Burger King for 6 years and is paid the state minimum wage of $9.19/hour. Even though he works preparing and serving food for as many hours as Burger King will schedule him, Jason couldn't afford to eat without the help of food stamps, and wouldn't have a place to leave without public housing assistance. "I'm 42 years old. It ain't right."

The UC Berkeley report Fast food, poverty wages cross-references occupational data, the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, and other public data sources to show the extent to which fast food workers live in poverty and need assistance from a major anti-poverty program to fill the gap between what they're paid, and what it takes to survive. The data shows that in Washington State:

  • 26% of fast food workers need assistance from food stamps
  • 30% receive support from the Earned Income Tax Credit
  • 18% get healthcare through Medicaid, and 17% have children in their households who get healthcare through Medicaid/CHIP.
  • Overall, 41% of fast food workers need support from at least one of these major anti-poverty programs to survive.
  • Our state spends $96 million providing anti-poverty assistance to poverty-wage fast food workers.

The National Employment Law Project report Super-sizing public costs takes the UC Berkeley report and analyzes which chains shift the most costs to the rest of us. The 4 largest fast food chains leave workers in poverty and shift enormous costs to the public:

  • McDonald's: $1.2 billion in public costs to aid workers in poverty
  • Yum! Brands: $648 million in public costs to aid workers in poverty. (Yum! owns Taco Bell, KFC, and other chains.)
  • Subway: $436 million in public costs to aid workers in poverty
  • Burger King: $356 million in public costs to aid workers in poverty
  • The top 10 largest fast food chains shift a total of $3.8 billion in costs — while banking total profits well in excess of that amount and leaving workers in poverty. The fast food industry overall shifts just shy of $7 billion in costs.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

###

Subway pickets roll to Seattle chain headquarters as workers continue to strike back against retaliation

Picketers calling on Subway to stop retaliating and hire Carlos back After a week of pickets won overwhelming support that effectively shut down lunch business at a succession of Subway stores, picketers will spend Monday's lunch rush at the South Lake Union Subway outlet (2002 Fairview Ave) that also serves as head office of Zeer, Inc., the major Seattle Subway franchisee whose retaliatory firing of Carlos Hernandez set off the pickets and boycott.

Last week, stores owned by Zeer, Inc. which normally serve hundreds of customers during a typical weekday lunch rush were almost completely emptied out, as customers overwhelmingly heeded the call to boycott Subway in support Carlos Hernandez, a leader in the fast food workers movement. On Friday — as Carlos's story made national news — several people even showed up at the picket lines spontaneously, simply because that had heard the story on the news and wanted to offer their support.

Who: Fast food workers and community supporters

What: Bring highly-effective picket lines which have shut Subway lunch rushes across the city straight to the store which serves as head office of the major Seattle Subway chain which retaliated against Carlos. Picketers are again calling for a boycott of Subway to strike back against retaliation and support all fast food workers.

When & Where: TODAY - Monday, September 30, 2013, 11:45 am - 1:00 pm during the lunch rush South Lake Union Subway, 2002 Fairview Ave. Note: This Subway also serves as the head office of Zeer, Inc. the Subway chain which fired Carlos. All the Subway restaurants picketed so far are owned by this chain.

More information:

What happened: Carlos was recently fired — supposedly over a 66¢ cookie. But Federal charges have been filed alleging that Carlos was actually fired in retaliation for his role in the fast food strikes. When given the facts, customers overwhelmingly agree that what Subway did is wrong — so they turn around, take their business elsewhere, and the join the call to boycott the chain until Carlos gets his job back.

Federal charges: Fast food workers last week filed Federal charges against the Subway fast food chain for firing striker Carlos Hernandez in retaliation for his leadership role in this summer's fast food strikes. The Federal cases name management of the local Subway store where Carlos worked, as well as the chain's corporate parent based in Milford, Connecticut. The Subway chain has agreed at the national level to take responsibility for labor standards at all their stores, whether franchised or corporate owned. Federal labor law clearly bars retaliation against workers for striking.

The cookie excuse: Subway knows that retaliation against striking workers is illegal, so they found a flimsy excuse to use when they fired him: they said it was because he gave a cookie to a 3-year old. The cookie cost 66¢.

Stores emptied by pickets and boycotts last week included:

* 9/24: 206 Broadway E, 12:15 pm. (photo) * 9/25: 1800 8th Ave, 12:30 pm. (photo) * 9/26: 501 Seneca St, 12:45 pm. (photo) * 9/27: 106 Pike St, 12:08 pm. (photo), and 1414 3rd Ave, 12:27 pm (photo)

Bad reviews for Subway's behavior have spread to the Yelp page of the 206 Broadway E Subway store that fired Carlos, as supporters of the fast food workers movement take the picket message to where the customers are — before they even decide what restaurant to go to.

Additional details: Prior to the firing, Subway management had attempted to make strikers sign a "final warning" disciplinary notice about striking. (Copy available online.) They even instructed other employees to not speak to Carlos, because of his role as a leader in the Good Jobs Seattle movement who has repeatedly spoken out to the public and to co-workers about the campaign for good jobs.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

###

Subway pickets roll to Pike Place Market — and Yelp — after week of spirited protests slows the lunch rush to a trickle

Calls to Boycott Subway until Carlos gets his job back echo through emptied-out stores as picketlines effectively shut down lunch business A week of spirited pickets that have effectively eliminated the lunch business at several Subway stores across the city will roll their way Friday to the 1st & Pike Subway, at the gateway to the Pike Place Market.

All this week, stores which normally serve hundreds of customers during a typical weekday lunch rush have been almost completely emptied out, as customers heed the call to boycott Subway in support Carlos Hernandez, a leader in the fast food workers movement. Carlos was recently fired — supposedly over a 66¢ cookie. But Federal charges have been filed alleging that Carlos was actually fired in retaliation for his role in the fast food strikes.

When given the facts, customers overwhelmingly agree that what Subway did is wrong — so they turn around, take their business elsewhere, and the join the call to boycott the chain until Carlos gets his job back.

Bad reviews for Subway's behavior have even spread to the Yelp page of the 206 E Broadway Subway store that fired Carlos, as supporters of the Good Jobs Seattle movement take the picket message to where the customers are — before they even decide what restaurant to go to.

Who: Fast food workers and community supporters

What: Cap off of a week of rolling lunch-hour picketlines at Subway stores across Seattle with dozens of picketers at the gateway to Pike Place Market calling for a boycott of Subway to strike back against retaliation and support all fast food workers. (And we're not done yet.)

When & Where: TODAY - Friday, September 27, 2013, 11:45 am - 1:00 pm during the lunch rush Pike Place Market Subway, 106 Pike St. Note: This will be the 4th consecutive day of Subway pickets, which have already ground lunch business to a halt at 206 Broadway E, 1800 8th, and 501 Seneca.

More information: Federal charges: Fast food workers this week filed Federal charges against the Subway fast food chain for firing striker Carlos Hernandez in retaliation for his leadership role in this summer's fast food strikes. The Federal cases name management of the local Subway store where Carlos worked, as well as the chain's corporate parent based in Milford, Connecticut. The Subway chain has agreed at the national level to take responsibility for labor standards at all their stores, whether franchised or corporate owned. Federal labor law clearly bars retaliation against workers for striking.

The cookie excuse: Subway knows that retaliation against striking workers is illegal, so they found a flimsy excuse to use when they fired him: they said it was because he gave a cookie to a 3-year old. The cookie cost 66¢.

Additional details: Prior to the firing, Subway management had attempted to make strikers sign a "final warning" disciplinary notice about striking. (Copy available online.) They even instructed other employees to not speak to Carlos, because of his role as a leader in the Good Jobs Seattle movement who has repeatedly spoken out to the public and to co-workers about the campaign for good jobs.

Sparked by this summer's fast food & coffee strikes, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, SEIU Healthcare 775NW and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

###

BREAKING: "Strike Poverty" spreads to Tacoma, Missoula, and across the country

Strike Poverty spreads to Tacoma, Missoula, and more than 50 cities across the country

Low-wage workers call to lift the economy with better pay of $15/hour and the right to organize.

Seattle-area workers already walking out in large numbers as strike spreads across country — and it's just the morning shift.

Follow events as they develop at #strikepoverty and #829strike

NEW TACOMA LOCATIONS:

10 am - TACOMA: Arby’s, 6330 6th Avenue 11:45 am - TACOMA: Papa John's, 7430 Pacific Ave

NEW MISSOULA LOCATION:

7:30 am - MISSOULA: Burger King, 2601 N Reserve

NEW SEATTLE LOCATION:

10:00 am - SEATTLE: Burger King - 1432 NW Market St

**********

The first-ever national strike of low-wage workers is already bigger than expected, as coffee workers launch early morning strikelines in downtown Seattle and  fast food workers in more than three dozen cities from Missoula to Oakland to Los Angeles do the same.

Similar strikelines are also being launched by low-wage workers in 50+ cities across the country today, including Missoula, Oakland, and Los Angeles, responding to the call joined by Seattle fast food workers to "Turn off the fryers, take off your aprons, and walk out August 29th."

The difficult economic circumstances of many low-wage baristas in Seattle recently hit the headlines with the recent story of the Starbucks worker on food stamps who was fired for eating an expired sandwich from the garbage. Baristas from different chains throughout the industry face similar circumstances, as coffee is yet another primarily low-wage industry where most workers simply aren't paid enough to afford the basics. Despite the wealth of some in our region, 7 of the 10 fastest-growing jobs pay poverty wages.

Who: Baristas in Seattle and fast-food workers in Seattle, Tacoma, Shoreline, Missoula, Oakland, Los Angeles, and more then 3 dozen cities across the country.

What: Launch strikelines across the country calling for better pay and the right to organize without retaliation.

When & Where: Thursday, August 29th.

Previously announced:

7:00 am - Westlake Park - morning shift workers gather before strikelines kick off. A brief rally will announce the number of cities joining the strike. (30+ are expected.) 8:30 am - Subway, 501 Seneca St, Seattle 10:30 am - Jimmy Johns - 1200 3rd Ave, Seattle 12:00 pm - Wendy's, 5315 15th Ave NW, Seattle 4:00 pm - Major citywide convergence of striking workers gathers at Plymouth Pillars Park (Pike St & Boren Ave) before heading out to dinner-shift strikelines at nearby fast food locations.

The August 29th national strike comes amidst an extraordinary upsurge of worker unrest which has moved low-wage worker issues to the center of public attention.  From SeaTac to Tacoma to the Skagit Valley to the Seattle mayoral race, highly profitable fast food corporations and other big employers have come under increasing pressure as workers continue to raise the question of how we can build a sustainable economy when the fastest-growing jobs pay poverty wages.

About Good Jobs Seattle:

Sparked by the May 30th fast food strike, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, at least one millionaire, and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

A Fact Sheet on the August 29th Strike is available online.

In just a few months fast food workers in Seattle have sparked a fast-growing movement for good jobs:

  • On May 30th, strikelines spread across Seattle as hundreds went on strike for better pay and the right to organize, united under a call to "Strike Poverty - Raise Seattle".
  • On June 15th, mayoral candidates debated what city government could do to raise the economy by lifting up poverty-wage jobs before an audience of about 200 fast food, grocery store, hotel, home care, and other poverty-wage workers and their supporters.
  • On July 11th, fast food workers briefed members of the Seattle city council about working conditions, including low pay, wage theft, and health & safety concerns.
  • On August 1st, informational pickets & in-store teach-ins about criminal wage theft were held at fast food and coffee outlets across the city.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, sage@workingwa.org

Missoula to see fast food strikeline at 7:30am as first-ever national low-wage workers strike spreads across the nation

Call to "Strike Poverty" echoes across the country as Missoula workers join campaign for better pay of $15/hour and the right to organize
Fast food workers in Missoula will join the first-ever national strike of low-wage workers on August 29th, joining the national call to demand better pay of $15/hour and the right to organize without retaliation. Seattle fast food workers issued the call just 10 days ago.

Thursday’s strike will span 50 cities and every region of the continental United States. Follow events online at #829strike and #strikepoverty

Who: Fast food workers in Missoula

What: Join the national call to strike for better pay of $15/hour and the right to organize without retaliation.

When: 7:30 am - 9:00 am, Thursday August 29, 2013

Where: Burger King, 2601 N Reserve, Missoula, MT

Why: Seven of the ten fastest growing jobs in our country pay poverty wages — and when so many workers can't afford the basics, that slows the economy for everyone.

The fast food industry is making record profits, but workers are struggling; many need food stamps and other public assistance just to get through the month.

Although the minimum wage in Montana is just $7.80, an adult with one child would need to make $17.71 an hour working full time in the Missoula area just to afford the basics, according to a model developed by a professor at MIT: http://livingwage.mit.edu/places/3006350200.

In addition to Missoula, strikes will hit cities all over the country, including Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Raleigh, Houston, Memphis, New York, and Oakland.

The August 29th national multi-city strike comes amidst an extraordinary upsurge of worker unrest which has moved low-wage worker issues to the center of public attention. Highly profitable fast food corporations and other big employers have come under increasing pressure as workers continue to raise the question of how we can build a sustainable economy when the fastest-growing jobs pay poverty wages

About Good Jobs Missoula:
Inspired by the May 30th fast food strike in Seattle and other efforts across the country, Good Jobs Missoula is a new movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for the local economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent.
###
Contact:
In Missoula: Jacquie Helt, 406-544-9682 Regional: Sage Wilson, sage@workingwa.org

BREAKING - Strikelines spread from fast food to coffee; new locations & new cities join movement

Early-morning coffee strikelines hit Seattle as first-ever national low-wage workers strike expands to new locations and three-dozen cities, including Missoula, Oakland, and Los Angeles Call to "Strike Poverty - Raise Seattle" echoes across the country with similar calls for better pay and the right to organize Low-wage workers call to lift the economy with better pay of $15/hour and the right to organize

NEW COFFEE LOCATIONS: 6:00 am - Starbucks, 1125 4th Ave. 6:30 am - Specialty's Coffee - 1023 3rd Avenue 6:30 am - Top Pot Coffee - 720 Third Ave

*******

The first-ever national strike of low-wage workers is already bigger than expected, as coffee workers launch early morning strikelines in downtown Seattle and  fast food workers in more than three dozen cities from Missoula to Oakland to Los Angeles do the same.

Similar strikelines are also being launched by low-wage workers in more than four dozen cities across the country today, including Missoula, Oakland, and Los Angeles, responding to the call joined by Seattle fast food workers to "Turn off the fryers, take off your aprons, and walk out August 29th."

Expansion to coffee: The difficult economic circumstances of many low-wage baristas in Seattle were recently brought into sharp relief by the recent story of the Starbucks worker on food stamps who was fired for eating an expired sandwich from the garbage. Baristas from different chains throughout the industry face similar circumstances, as coffee is yet another primarily low-wage industry where most workers simply aren't paid enough to afford the basics. Despite the wealth of some in our region, 7 of the 10 fastest-growing jobs pay poverty wages.

Who: Baristas in Seattle and fast-food workers in Seattle, Missoula, Oakland, Los Angeles, and more then 3 dozen cities across the country.

What: Launch strikelines across the country calling for better pay and the right to organize without retaliation.

When & Where: Thursday, August 29th.

Previously announced:

7:00 am - Westlake Park - morning shift workers gather before strikelines kick off. A brief rally will announce the number of cities joining the strike. (30+ are expected.) 8:30 am - Subway, 501 Seneca St, Seattle 10:30 am - Jimmy Johns - 1200 3rd Ave, Seattle 12:00 pm - Wendy's, 5315 15th Ave NW, Seattle 4:00 pm - Major citywide convergence of striking workers gathers at Plymouth Pillars Park (Pike St & Boren Ave) before heading out to dinner-shift strikelines at nearby fast food locations.

The August 29th national strike comes amidst an extraordinary upsurge of worker unrest which has moved low-wage worker issues to the center of public attention.  From SeaTac to Tacoma to the Skagit Valley to the Seattle mayoral race, highly profitable fast food corporations and other big employers have come under increasing pressure as workers continue to raise the question of how we can build a sustainable economy when the fastest-growing jobs pay poverty wages.

About Good Jobs Seattle:

Sparked by the May 30th fast food strike, Good Jobs Seattle is a growing movement which seeks to build a sustainable future for Seattle's economy from the middle out — by turning poverty-wage jobs in fast food and other industries into good jobs that offer opportunities for a better future and pay enough for workers to afford basic necessities like food, clothing and rent. Good Jobs Seattle is supported by organizations including Washington Community Action Network, Working Washington, OneAmerica, at least one millionaire, and hundreds of workers and grassroots supporters.

A Fact Sheet on the August 29th Strike is available online.

In just a few months fast food workers in Seattle have sparked a fast-growing movement for good jobs:

  • On May 30th, strikelines spread across Seattle as hundreds went on strike for better pay and the right to organize, united under a call to "Strike Poverty - Raise Seattle".
  • On June 15th, mayoral candidates debated what city government could do to raise the economy by lifting up poverty-wage jobs before an audience of about 200 fast food, grocery store, hotel, home care, and other poverty-wage workers and their supporters.
  • On July 11th, fast food workers briefed members of the Seattle city council about working conditions, including low pay, wage theft, and health & safety concerns.
  • On August 1st, informational pickets & in-store teach-ins about criminal wage theft were held at fast food and coffee outlets across the city.

###

Contact: Sage Wilson, sage@workingwa.org