WSLC applauds House action on minimum wage, sick leave

(March 3, 2015) — The following statement was released this afternoon by Jeff Johnson, President of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO:

Today, the Washington State House of Representatives made substantial progress in promoting shared prosperity in Washington state.  Raising the state minimum wage and allowing all workers to earn paid sick leave to care for themselves and their families are policies that are popular across this state and across party lines.  And with good reason.  People who work full time shouldn’t live in poverty and require public assistance to meet basic needs.  People shouldn’t be forced between caring for a sick child and losing pay.  These are core values held by most of us.  The state representatives who supported these measures deserve our thanks for taking concrete steps to help struggling working families in this era of historic income inequality.

We hope the Senate will seriously consider and understand the wisdom of approving these modest proposals.  The people of Washington want and need an economy that works for all of us.