‘$15 for Olympia’ campaign launches with rally and march

OLYMPIA (March 12, 2015) — Today, low-wage workers from Olympia will gather at Sylvester Park, march to Olympia City Hall and call on their local government to pass a citywide $15 minimum wage law and advance workers rights in the city of Olympia.

All union members are supporters are invited to participate. Gather at 1:45 p.m. at Sylvester Park, 600 Capitol Way S., and at 2 p.m. join the march to Olympia City Hall for the rally for $15 at 601 4th Ave E. Can’t be there? Follow along online at #oly15.

Supporters of the Olympia $15 campaign include Working Washington, SEIU 775NW, WFSE/AFSCME Local 443, SEIU 1199NW, UFCW 21, and other union and community organizations.

An analysis of U.S. census data shows that 33% of Olympia’s workers are paid less than $15 per hour. Meanwhile, eight of the 10 fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. economy pay poverty wages of less than $15 per hour — jobs like food service, retail, and homecare.

Half of the population of Olympia are renters, and median rent in Olympia is $904/month. It takes a full-time paying $17.38 per hour to afford that rent level at standard affordability calculations