Poverty-wage workers answer the question: "What's one thing you've done to make ends meet that state politicians don't know anything about?"

Working people and community supporters will be at the Capitol on Monday to offer testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on bills to raise the minimum wage and pass a minimum standard for paid sick and safe time — but a few minutes in a hearing room isn't enough to represent the experiences of the more than half-million people in our state who are paid poverty wages of less than $15/hour, or the million workers who don’t have paid sick days.

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TODAY: Day of strikes for $15 kicks off 6 am in Bellevue, spreads to Aberdeen, Kent, Olympia, beyond

Strikes & demonstrations for $15 spread in Washington and across the country

Times & locations of events today as fast food workers strike for $15 and the right to organize, joined in support by airport workers, homecare workers, and other low-wage workers

Because we can't live on $9 & change. Because our economy needs a boost. Because we're fighting for our future. Because our community needs good jobs. Because we are people, too.

Those are just a few of the reasons why TODAY, Thursday, December 4th, thousands of fast food workers in 150+ cities will strike for $15 and the right to organize — including here in our state, where workers will strike and rally for $15 in BellevueKentAberdeen, and Olympia. Airport workers, homecare workers, and other poverty wage workers will be joining in support, adding their voices as the fight for $15 builds still more momentum.

List of strikes & demonstrations for $15, 
culminating with 4pm strike support rally at the State Capitol to raise pay and raise up Washington’s economy.

TODAY, Thursday, December 4, 2014, events all day:
6:00am - Bellevue: 1900 148th Ave NE (Jack-in-the-Box)
11:00am - Aberdeen: 909 E Wishkah St (McDonald's) 
12:00pm - Kent: 10715 SE 240th, Kent (McDonald's/Chevron)
1:30pm - State House: Labor Committee hearing on minimum wage, Hearing Room D, John L O'Brien Building
4:00pm - Capitol Building: Rally begins (gather at 3:30). Speakers will include striking fast food workers, airport worker, and homecare worker, all united in the call for $15/hour and the right to organize.
5:00pm - Olympia (Capitol Mall): 2400 Capitol Mall Dr SW (Olive Garden)

Note: Follow all the latest details at #strikepoverty, and workingWA.org

"Why not us too?"

Anna Anderson, who struggles to support her son and disabled husband with her income from the Aberdeen Jack-in-the-Box, explains why she's supporting the strike in a compelling statement: "Why not us too?"

"I live in Aberdeen, WA and I am 21 years old and recently gave up on my college education to work so I could support my son and disabled husband. With a 4.0 GPA I thought nothing could stop me from achieving my goals and living my dreams, but as money got tight I found myself having to choose between books for my classes and paying rent. But dropping out of school hasn’t stopped me from having to make choices like that in the least bit." 

Read the rest of Anna's statement at workingWA.org.

No matter where you work or where you live in our state, you can't support yourself when you're working for nine dollars and change. And you can’t grow an economy on poverty wages, either.

That's why the movement to strike poverty is spreading well beyond SeaTac and Seattle — and it's why the crisis of poverty-wage jobs just might become one of the key issues in state politics next year. 

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org

Working Washington unites working people to fight for a fair economy where everyone can support themselves, afford the basics, and contribute to the economy. We launched the fast food strikes that sparked the fight for $15 in Seattle; we helped lead the successful campaign to pass $15 in SeaTac; and we work in coalition with unions, faith groups, and grassroots organizations to hold corporations & politicians accountable to community needs. For more information, including our press kit, visit workingWA.org.

 

THURSDAY, December 4th: Fast food strikes for $15 spread in Washington and across the country

Could movement to raise wages and raise up Washington become key issue in state politics?

Fast food workers to strike for $15 and the right to organize, joined in support by airport workers, homecare workers, and other low-wage workers 

On Thursday, December 4th, thousands of fast food workers in 150+ cities will strike for $15 and the right to organize — including here in our state, where there will be strikes and demonstrations for $15 in BellevueKentAberdeen, and Olympia. Airport workers, homecare workers, and other poverty wage workers will be joining in support, adding their voices as the fight for $15 builds even more momentum.

The fast food strike comes on the same day the State House committee on Labor & Workforce Development holds a hearing on minimum wage, and just weeks after four were arrested outside Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters for engaging in civil disobedience over the airline's attacks on $15 in SeaTac.

As attention grows and support builds, the movement to raise wages and raise up Washington just might become a key issue in state politics this year.

Who: Striking fast food workers, joined by airport workers, homecare workers, and other poverty-wage workers unable to support themselves on the state minimum wage of nine dollars and change, along with diverse community supporters.

What: Launch strikes & demonstrations for $15, culminating in a strike support rally at the State Capitol to raise pay and raise up Washington’s economy.

When & Where:
Thursday, December 4, 2014, events all day:
Specific addresses will be released and posted at workingwa.org/strikepoverty early Thursday morning

6:00am - Bellevuespecific fast food location will be released Thursday morning

11:00am - Aberdeen:specific fast food location will be released Thursday morning

12:00pm - Kentspecific fast food location will be released Thursday morning

1:30pm - State House: Labor Committee hearing on minimum wage, John L O'Brien Building, Hearing Room D

4:00pm Capitol Building: Rally begins (gather at 3:30). Speakers will include striking fast food workers, airport worker, and homecare worker, all calling for $15/hour and the right to organize.

5:00pm - Olympiaspecific fast food location will be released Thursday morning

Note: Follow all the latest details at #strikepoverty, and at workingwa.org/strikepoverty.

No matter where you work or where you live in our state, you can't support yourself when you're working for nine dollars and change. And you can’t grow an economy on poverty wages, either. That's why the movement to strike poverty is spreading well beyond SeaTac and Seattle — and it's why the crisis of poverty-wage jobs just might become one of the key issues in state politics next year. 

Just this weekend, the Everett Herald published a blistering op-ed from a food bank volunteer calling for higher wages. In Bellevue, workers marched turned I-90 into WA-$15 in September, calling for the giant fast food chains to pay $15/hour and respect workers right to organize. In Olympia, City Council held a hearing on raising the minimum wage, and community leaders are signing on in support. In Tacoma, a grassroots petition for higher pay has already gathered thousands of signatures. In KentIssaquahBothell, and beyond, supporters have sparked community conversations with letters to the editor calling for higher wages.

More information:

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Contact: Sage Wilson, Working Washington: sage@workingwa.org

Working Washington unites working people to fight for a fair economy where everyone can support themselves, afford the basics, and contribute to the economy. We launched the fast food strikes that sparked the fight for $15 in Seattle; we helped lead the successful campaign to pass $15 in SeaTac; and we work in coalition with unions, faith groups, and grassroots organizations to hold corporations & politicians accountable to community needs. For more information, check out our press kit.