Forums start this week on minimum wage/sick leave effort

(Jan. 11, 2016) — This year, labor, faith, and community groups are coming together to support working families by raising Washington’s minimum wage and providing paid sick and safe leave throughout the state. A ballot measure will be filed today that would raise the minimum wage incrementally to $13.50/hour and allow all workers to earn up to seven days of paid sick and safe leave per year.

The Raise Up Washington campaign, formed to support the initiative, plans to launch an ambitious grassroots petition drive to collect the roughly 250,000 valid signatures needed by early July to qualify the measure for this fall’s ballot.

Union members and other supporters are urged to attend the following community forums to learn more about the effort and how to get involved:

BELLINGHAM — Thursday, Jan. 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Teamsters 231 Hall, 1700 N. State St. Download a forum flier and post to help spread the word.

OLYMPIA — Thursday, Jan. 14 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Washington State Labor Council, 906 Columbia St. SW, Suite #330. Download a forum flier and post to help spread the word.

YAKIMA — Wednesday, Jan. 20 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Yakima Central Labor Council, 507 S. 3rd St. Download a forum flier and post to help spread the word.

TACOMA — Tuesday, Feb. 2 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, 1211 I St. Download a forum flier and post to help spread the word.

EVERETT — Wednesday, Feb. 3 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Everett Labor Temple, 2812 Lombard Ave.

More minimum wage/sick leave community forums are being organized in Everett, Spokane, East King County, South King County, Vancouver, and elsewhere around the state. Stay tuned for details.

If you have questions, please email April Sims, Field Mobilization Director for the Washington State Labor Council, or call her at 1-800-542-0904.