When the Dori Monson Show emails...

which side are you on?

That tweet there isn't some kind of fable about what happens when rich people embrace their worst instincts and scorn their community. It's the news, today.

And it really distills what (and who) is behind the push to repeal Seattle's new big business tax and eliminate funding for affordable housing.

Now we the people have to decide which side we're on.

If you live or work in Seattle, you may already be seeing paid signature gatherers who are out to try and repeal the city's new tax on big businesses. We've seen this before: it's pretty typical for these kinds of paid signature gatherers to use deceptive language and even intentionally mislead voters.

We want to hear what you're hearing: if you see someone gathering signatures to repeal the city's new tax on big businesses, let us know where you see them, and what they're saying.

Right now in Seattle, some of the richest humans and the largest corporations in the world are coming out in full force to try to mislead us and distract us from the real problems: housing affordability & homelessness. They're trying to use threats and lies to get their way. They're creating a climate of hatred towards poor people to advance an anti-government, trickle-down agenda. But we can't let them get away with it.

So as this conversation continues in Seattle, across the state, and across the nation, here's some key information to keep in mind.

• The biggest businesses in our city need to do their part too. While the rapid growth of high-paying jobs at big corporations has brought big money to Seattle, it's also driven up rent and other costs of living for everyone else who's not working in the tech industry. Just like the rest of us pay our taxes, the 600 or so biggest businesses in the city should also pay towards helping address our citywide housing & homelessness crisis.
• The biggest businesses are the only ones that pay the tax — not fast food workers, not construction workers, not you, and not me. Amazon will pay $11 million — or about 0.006% of their global revenue last year. Only the top 600 or so companies in Seattle will pay the tax. The Puget Sound Business Journal estimates that Uwajimaya will contribute a total of about $60,000 on annual revenue of more than $20 million. Dick's Drive-In will contribute about $50,000 on annual revenue of more than $20 million. This is an effective tax rate of about 0.2% on these businesses.
• This isn't about money, it's about power. Giant corporations like Amazon simply don't want to do their part. Instead of paying their taxes, they want to be paid tribute. So they're stoking a climate of hatred towards poor people, trying to undermine the very idea that government has a role to play to address income inequality and our housing crisis. Because that way, they're in charge, and the rest of us don't have a say.
• We get to make decisions about what kind of community we want to live in. Amazon doesn't own Seattle, the people do!

Click here to share your thoughts, ask any questions you may have, or report an experience with a signature gatherer.

Right now, we have a choice before us & we have to decide as a community which side we're on: Is Seattle a playground of the rich, where corporations and the top 1% run the show? Or do the people of the city run our city, so that corporations are made to do their part to address our housing crisis?

You can help make sure this question gets answered in the best way possible. Let us know what you think and what you're seeing today.

Badaboom, badabing

Amazon thought they made Seattle an offer we couldn't refuse. When the company’s top executives threatened the city's entire economy over a modest tax on large businesses, Amazon broke new ground on out-of-control  corporate misbehavior — all because the richest human in the world would rather evade taxes than do his part to address our homelessness crisis.

This was a threat, not an argument. And it was about intimidation, not resources. After all, Amazon's attempt to rough up the city came just weeks after the company announced plans to generate $2 billion in additional revenue by raising their per-head charge on Amazon Prime customers by $20.

But Seattle refused to knuckle under. The public rejected Amazon's subprime mob boss behavior. And the company moved, fast. First Amazon insisted last fall and again earlier this month that in their opinion, the right amount of resources for housing & homelessness was $0. They threatened to take their balls and go home over it... and then they quickly agreed to $25 million. The City Council majority didn't blink, and today Amazon and their allies backed a $50 million tax on big businesses to support affordable housing and services for homeless people.

Badaboom, badabing. The people of Seattle stood up and made real progress on this one.

But there's more to do. Our city, our region, and our state need to make more dramatic investments in affordable housing so everyone has a place to call home; we need to ensure giant corporations and the top 1% pay their fair share; and we need to do what it takes to ensure that never again can the rich and powerful try to take a whole city hostage just because they don't want to be told no.

This week, Seattle showed once again that we can get it done.

Nice little city you got there...

Amazon is literally run by the world's richest person. Of course they should pay their taxes. But in the midst of a homelessness crisis in their hometown, Amazon isn't interested in doing their part.

Instead, they're making it worse.

Amazon is not only opposing a City Council proposal for a progressive tax on the few hundred largest businesses in Seattle. They're actually threatening the people of Seattle by claiming they'll pause construction depending on how and when the City Council votes. That's not just greed — it's behavior you might expect from a subprime mob boss lording it over a company town.

It's also a crime.

Under RCW 9A.76.180, it's illegal to use threats to intimidate public servants and influence their votes. The company should be prosecuted for it.

Sign on to tell Attorney General Bob Ferguson to prosecute Amazon for their mob boss behavior. Then keep on clicking to send a letter straight to City Council members to let them know that you think Amazon needs to pay.

We know that corporations owned by the richest people in the world typically oppose progressive taxes. And we've come to expect that they'll routinely issue misleading info & make all kinds of wrong predictions about the impacts of progressive moves by public officials. While the Chicken Little routine can be tedious, it's not a felony.

But issuing threats to cause harm in order to influence the votes of elected officials is a different matter. It's a criminal act, and it should be treated as such.

If you're sick of putting up with Amazon's bullying, take action by sending a letter to Attorney General Ferguson, and then telling the Seattle City Council why you support the proposed tax for homeless services.

The city has heard enough threats from Jeff Bezos — now they need to hear from us.

Working Washington is hiring an Online Organizer / Digital Campaign Specialist

Online Organizer / Digital Campaign Specialist

Working Washington's mission is to build a powerful workers’ movement that can dramatically improve wages and working conditions, and change the local and national conversation about wealth, inequality, and the value of work. Working Washington fast food strikers sparked the fight that won Seattle’s landmark $15 minimum wage. We successfully drove Amazon to sever ties with the right-wing lobby group ALEC and improve conditions in their sweatshop warehouses. We helped lead the winning campaign in SeaTac for a $15 living wage. We made history once more when Working Washington baristas and fast food workers led the successful fight for secure scheduling in Seattle, and we’ve played key roles in campaigns that won a higher minimum wage, paid sick days, and paid family leave for more than a million workers across the state.

We are seeking a creative, talented, and ambitious person to join a top-notch online organizing & digital campaign program dedicated to substantially grow our movement and build the power of workers in our state.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong knowledge of online and field organizing tools and tactics; a creative, experimental approach to campaigns; and a strong ability to independently move projects forward.

Working Washington’s main office is located in Seattle, WA. We are open to consider arrangement to work remotely from locations in Washington State but outside the Puget Sound region.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Principal duties and responsibilities include:

• Mobilize workers towards campaign goals through online meetings, offline meetings, one-on-one conversations, and other digital and field tactics

• Lead execution of worker outreach and organizing strategy around key organizational campaign goals

• Conceive, draft, and execute compelling content for multiple channels and audiences that engage followers and move them to action, engagement, and leadership

• Dream up and execute creative new ideas for online organizing tools & tactics — because who wants to be a petition factory?

• Contribute to Working Washington’s social media and web presence, in coordination with communications staff

• Take part in organizational fundraising, both online and offline

• Engage workers, Working Washington supporters, and the public at large through multiple modes and tools, both one-to-many and one-to-one

• Grow our list, maintain online organizing data systems, and track supporters’ level of engagement

• Develop new online supporters into online leaders with Working Washington

• Experiment with innovative and forward-thinking tools & tactics to advance our campaigns, and be ready to adjust strategies as campaigns progress

• Participate in rallies, marches, and other events

• Work directly with workers and community supporters as needed to fulfill campaign goals, including doorknocking, phonebanking, and other political and campaign work

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Dedication to carry out the mission of Working Washington

• Experience working in service industry, gig economy, or other low-wage work a plus.

• Capacity to write quickly and clearly on a variety of topics without being boring

• Comfort with various social media and online platforms

• Ability to move broad and deep engagement towards campaign goals on various digital and field platforms

• Eagerness to engage with low-wage workers across the state and amplify their voices

• Willingness to work long and irregular hours when campaign needs require it, including some evenings and weekends

• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.  

• Spanish fluency a major plus

COMPENSATION:

Staff union pay scale, with starting pay between $47,476 and $53,847, based on experience, and significant annual step increases each year. Generous benefits package, including fully-paid family health care, employer matched 401k, and vacation and sick leave.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please send a resume and cover letter, along with one or two relevant writing samples, social media plans, or organizing raps to jobs@workingwa.org. Applications will be considered as they arrive.

Working Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer

without my boss being able to change it in the snap of the fingers

This morning, Merlee, a parent and Jimmy John's worker in Seattle, came to City Council to testify about how the city's secure scheduling law has affected her life. Here's what she had to say:

"I owe it to my family to provide for them but also to be present and know when I get to invest time. Secure scheduling means I can be home with my kid when I need to — without my boss being able to change it in the snap of the fingers. I know I get to spend that time with my kid when I need to. I get that time for my family.

When I know my schedule I am able to build a life of quality. When I compare jobs and benefits, my secure scheduling & my two weeks' notice are at the top of my list."