I-1433 volunteers needed for Dem caucuses

Raise Up Washington, the campaign for Initiative 1433, needs volunteers to collect signatures at some 500 Democratic Party caucus meetings on Saturday, March 26 across Washington state.

I-1433 would raise the state minimum wage incrementally to $13.50/hour over the next four years and allow all workers to earn up to seven paid sick days per year. The measure has been endorsed by the Washington State Democratic Party and by Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Party officials have invited I-1433 volunteers to collect signatures at the March 26 caucuses, where thousands of Democrats will gather at 500 different locations starting at 10 a.m. to choose the state’s presidential nominee. (Get details on the caucuses.)

TAKE A STAND! — Whether or not you plan to participate in the caucus, you can volunteer to help Saturday, March 26 and get signatures from folks, most of whom will be eager to sign I-1433. Click here today to RSVP and volunteer at the caucuses!  If you are unable to help on March 26, you can gather signatures for this historic campaign at another event or from your friends and family. Order your petitions online or call the campaign at 206-709-1313. The Raise Up Washington field team will give you all the materials and training you need to get started.

Raise Up Washington is a coalition of union, faith and community organizations supporting I-1433 and working together to gather the 260,000 valid signatures needed by the end of June for it to qualify for this fall’s ballot.

If approved by voters, the state minimum wage would increase to $11 in 2017, $11.50 in 2018, $12 in 2019, and $13.50 in 2020. All workers in Washington state will begin earning one hour of paid sick and safe leave for every 40 hours worked, so workers can take care of themselves and their families when sick without fear of being fired or losing a day’s wage.

People who work full-time shouldn’t live in poverty or be forced to choose between working sick and losing pay. But throughout Washington state, hundreds of thousands of people working hard to make ends meet are being paid poverty wages. That means they need public assistance just to meet their families’ basic needs for food, housing, transportation and health care. More than 1 million workers in Washington don’t have access to a single day of paid sick leave.

Volunteer today to help change this!