In Olympia, a majority of workers employed in retail and hospitality are paid less than $15/hour. Together, these two industries employ a combined 19.1% of the workforce — a bigger share than government alone does. These industries also have high shares of part-time work.
Read More"I think he wants to go to Disneyland."
Crystal Thompson has worked at Domino’s for five years. She is a mother and shares an apartment with a roommate. Crystal has been on strike multiple times and has spoken to elected leaders and the press. She became a leader in the fight for $15 in Seattle.
Read More"Am I really doing this again?"
Jason Harvey has been involved with Working Washington since the very beginning. He worked at Burger King and went out on strike multiple times and became a leader in the victory of Seattle’s $15 minimum wage.
Read MoreA voice for the silencers, the whisperers!
Brittany got involved in the fight for $15 after her sister first went on strike. She is a mother who worked at McDonald’s. She has been involved in multiple fast food actions and even went down to Olympia to talk to legislators about raising the state minimum wage. She hopes to own a business in the restaurant industry some day.
Read MoreWork the Vote - Seattle
Work the Vote is Working Washington's Voters Guide for the 2015 Elections in Seattle. Each week, we'll send out a question to everyone running in each of the nine Seattle City Council races, and then post the answers here so voters can see out how the candidates make their case on workers issues.
Read MoreRemember the last time Dave Meinert tried to speak for restaurant workers?
Today, Seattle Nightlife Brand™ Dave Meinert attempts to grasp his way back to political relevance with a bizarre turn endorsing and hosting an event for… restaurant workers.
Today, Seattle Nightlife Brand™ Dave Meinert attempts to grasp his way back to political relevance with a bizarre turn endorsing and hosting an event for… restaurant workers. There could hardly be a less reliable source — remember the last time Meinert “spoke” for restaurant workers?
Read MoreOlympia speaks out for $15 and workers rights — add your voice!
The City of Olympia could become the next jurisdiction to raise wages and strengthen the local economy, now that Councilmember Jim Cooper has introduced new legislation which would phase in a $15 wage, and establish minimum standards for paid sick days and access to hours.
Read MoreLet's tell city council why Olympia needs a raise!
Take 2 minutes with your phone right now and record a short video message to Olympia City Council in support of $15 and workers' rights for Olympia!
Read MoreBe There As Olympia City Council Discusses a $15 Minimum Wage
This coming Tuesday, October 27, Olympia City Council will meet to discuss raising Olympia's minimum wage. Workers in Olympia have been coming together and raising their voices over the past year to demand a $15 minimum wage and workers' rights. They've gone on strike, marched in the streets, met with politicians. And city council is listening.
Read MoreFederal Way Swings and Shifts
Federal Way is in the midst of rapid demographic, economic, and political change. At the same time as the city has grown by more 30% over the past two decades to become one of the ten largest cities in Washington State, the non-hispanic White population has actually declined.
Federal Way has substantially lower housing costs than much of the rest of Central Puget Sound, but affording the city's median rent still requires a full-time job at $19.67 per hour — far more than is typically paid by the chain retail, food service, call center, and other low-wage jobs which dominate the local economy. As a result, more than 1 in 4 Federal Way renters are severely cost-burdened, paying more than half their incomes toward rent.
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