MAJOR 2016 ECONOMIC JUSTICE INITIATIVE

Minimum Wage and Leave Initiative

By:  Steve Clagett

Co-Chair JWM

 

This blog post will alert you about a tremendous 2016 economic justice opportunity.  The, as yet to be formally named, Minimum Wage and Leave Initiative will provide plenty of work  for UCC members to ensure its success.  The initiative will increase the state minimum wage to $13.50 per hour, higher where local ordinances require it, and mandate that sick, family, and safe leave be afforded to employees.  The initiative was filed with the Washington Secretary of State this month and is going through a vetting process to determine its final title and contents.  Initiative petitions should be coming out in mid-February.   To be safe, about 325,000 signatures will be needed by the end of June.  Assuming that succeeds, the campaign will move entirely into an effort to ensure voter approval at the November Presidential Election.  

 Experts agree that $13.50, not even $15.00, is a livable wage for most families.  Still, this initiative would be a huge step forward for Washington State families and should benefit from the increased attention national candidates are giving our growing income equality and diminishing middle class.  The initiative is supported by a coalition of more than thirty organizations, Working Washington (www.workingwa.org) being one of the leaders.

 The Justice Witness Ministries Committee will provide full details on how you can become involved with the campaign when they become available.