15 Now
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| 15 Now | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Seattle, WA |
| Founder(s): | Kshama Sawant and Socialist Alternative |
| Year founded: | 2014 |
| Website: | Official website |
15 Now is a minimum wage advocacy group founded by Socialist Alternative and Kshama Sawant. The organization was founded in January 2014 and is based in Seattle, Washington.[1][2]
Mission statement
The mission statement or vision of the association is:
| “ | Our Vision for Building the Movement for $15
Social and economic inequality in the US has reached historic proportions. The top 1% increased their income following capitalism’s Great Recession while the overwhelming majority of working people are still struggling or are even worse off than before. We demand social justice and a dignified life for all workers. The movement for a minimum wage of $15/hour is an expression this enormous problem of inequality. The support for the fast food workers actions for $15 showed that the aspirations of Occupy to fight against poverty and inequality are alive and growing among millions. The struggle to raise the minimum wage is lively and dynamic movement which is developing all across the US. 15 Now is part of this wider movement, open for all to join and fight with us. Every worker deserves a living wage. The fight for 15 is just the first step towards a living wage. Low-wage jobs are disproportionately held by people of color, women and immigrants so the fight for 15 is also a question of racial, gender and social equality. We aim to build the widest possible unity in action of labor, community, and social justice organizations. Our goal is to empower working people and activate them into fighting movement. We aim to build a network of activists, organized in Action Groups in neighborhoods, on campuses and in workplaces, or through allied trade unions, community and immigrant rights organizations. This is our vision across the US: People organizing from below can challenge the 1 percent’s domination of economic and political system and change the balance of power in our society. The key to winning is building up the power of working people expressed in their level of organization, consciousness, unity and determination to struggle. [3] |
” |
| —15 Now | ||
Chapters
The following are the local, statewide and regional chapters of 15 Now as of July 2014:[4]
- New England
- Wisconsin
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- Chicago, IL
- Columbus, OH
- Denver, CO
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Los Angeles, CA
- Missoula, MT
- Mobile, AL
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Philadelphia, PA
- Portland, OR
- Seattle, WA
- Spokane, WA
- Tacoma, WA
- Tampa Bay, FL
- Tucson, AZ
Ballot measure activity
Oregon
15 Now is planning a statewide ballot initiative in Oregon, unless the legislature passes a $15 minimum wage bill.[5]
Washington
Inspired in part by the City of SeaTac "Good Jobs Initiative" Minimum Wage Increase in 2013, 15 Now was formed following the electoral victory of Kshama Sawant of Socialist Alternative to the Seattle City Council. Sawant's platform included raising the city's hourly minimum wage to $15. 15 Now threatened to collect signatures to place a City of Seattle $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage Initiative on the ballot in November 2014 if the city council did not pass an ordinance increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour. The city council passed an ordinance on June 2, 2014.[6]
Forward Seattle, an opponent of 15 Now, proposed a City of Seattle $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage Increase Veto Referendum, which would repeal the city's ordinance.[7] However, their proposal failed to collect enough signatures.
There was one attempt to invalidate the ordinance at the state level. Proposed by Tim Eyman, the Washington Wage-Setting Authority Initiative would have granted sole wage-setting authority to the state government and prohibit political subdivisions from establishing or enforcing a minimum wage for employment by private employers.[8]
Wisconsin
On June 26, 2014, 15 Now and supporters attempted to persuade the Dane County Board of Supervisors in Wisconsin to alter the text of the Dane County $10.10 Per Hour State Minimum Wage Advisory Question to read:
| “ | Should the State of Wisconsin increase the minimum wage to |
” |
Ultimately, three county supervisors backed changing the text to read $15. However, the amendment was blocked and the $10.10 question was put on the ballot.[9]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "15 + Now + minimum + wage"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 15 Now, "About," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ 15 Now, "Contact Us," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 15 Now, "15 Now Chapters," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ 15 Now PDX, "Legislation for $15 Minimum Wage in Oregon Picks Up 11 Sponsores," December 11, 2014
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Seattle City Council approves historic $15 minimum wage," June 2, 2014
- ↑ KUOW, "New Frontiers On The Minimum Wage Fight," June 25, 2014
- ↑ Seattle Met, "Morning Fizz: Struggling within the Same Broken System," June 5, 2014
- ↑ County of Dane, "Minutes for June 26, 2014," accessed July 8, 2014
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