At halfway point, volunteers needed for Initiative 1433

(May, 12, 2016) — Following is a message from Raise Up Washington, the campaign to qualify and pass Initiative 1433:

We need your help gathering signatures for Initiative 1433 — the historic campaign to raise Washington State’s minimum wage from $9.47 to $13.50, phased in over four years, and allow workers to earn paid sick and safe leave.  The campaign reached the halfway point of its signature gathering drive!

With just eight weeks remaining, volunteers still must gather 90,000 more signatures. Now it’s a race against the clock so your help is needed more than ever. Can you help fight rising income equality in Washington state by signing up to volunteer for I-1433?

YES! I’ll gather signatures to Raise Up Washington in 2016!

This weekend, with sunshine in the forecast, there are great shifts at events across the state where volunteers can collect many signatures, including the Wooden Boat Festival in Olympia, the Apple Blossom Festival in Wenatchee, and farmers markets statewide. Plus, there are big events coming up that need hundreds of volunteers to cover, including the University District Streetfair on May 21-22 and the Folklife Festival on May 27-30. If you or some of your fellow union members can help cover these great shifts, please email Kate at kate@raiseupwa.com.

Together, we will ensure that no one who works full-time has to raise a family in poverty, but it’s going to take all of us working together to make it happen. The campaign must gather 80,000 volunteer signatures by June 30 to place this important initiative on the November 2016 ballot! Will you join the thousands of dedicated volunteers gathering signatures across the state?

YES! Send me petitions!

In most places in Washington state, neither individuals nor families meet basic needs working full time at the current minimum wage of $9.47. With your help, Washington voters will have the opportunity to vote YES on I-1433 to raise wages and provide common sense paid sick leave, key elements of a healthy economy and workforce.

Please call 206-709-1313 or click here to volunteer so together we can:

●  Raise Washington State’s minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020
●  Provide Washington workers with earned paid sick leave
●  Expand opportunity for over 1,000,000 Washingtonians

The wage increase would be phased-in over four years: $11 (2017), $11.50 (2018), $12 (2019), and $13.50 (2020). The measure also would allow workers to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, so workers can take care of themselves and their family when sick without fear of being fired or losing a day’s wage. Employers who provide higher wages or more generous paid leave are not affected by these changes.

Join teams of volunteers across the state gathering signatures at stores, parks, and farmers markets, or simply gathering from friends and family.

You can order your petitions online or call the campaign today at 206-709-1313 to join I-1433 team.  The campaign field organizers will give you all the materials and training you need to get started.