KIEM asks Eureka Fair Wage Act proponent James Decker some pertinent questions about raising the minimum wage to $12 in Eureka – and gets some straight answers.
While you are there take the poll!
Tag Archives: fair wage movement
The Laboratory of Life
shortlink here: http://wp.me/p2w2NH-la mnemonic here: http://urlet.com/simplicity.buying
It is said that we don’t need a minimum wage, that a minimum wage causes unemployment, that if the minimum wage were lower – or completely eliminated – then employers could afford to hire more workers. It is said often that this is “supply and demand” and an ironclad “law of economics.” It is of course an argument designed to appeal to the simpler minded half of the gene pool.
Yet two facts confront us.
One, the real purchasing power in constant dollar terms of the minimum wage has declined for 45 years, so there has been a de facto “lowering” of the minimum wage, and Two, we currently have a very persistent and high level of unemployment.
The laboratory of life has proved this favorite Chamber of Commerce meme to be a fabrication that is nowhere near real life economics.
We conclude that the theory that lowering the minimum wage increases employment is FALSE.
shortlink here: http://wp.me/p2w2NH-la
NCJ: Eureka Fair Wage Initiative “Easily” Qualifies for Ballot – Will Be Before City Council Mar. 19
shortlink here: http://wp.me/p2w2NH-jG
The Eureka Fair Wage campaign is delighted that we easily surpassed the 10% signature threshold, guaranteeing ballot access for the Eureka Fair Wage Act. We believe, however, and hope to prove, that we gathered enough signatures to cross the 15% threshold which would put the Fair Wage Act on a ballot even sooner.
Please come out to the Eureka City Council meeting at 6:00pm, Tuesday March 19 and show your support for the Eureka Fair Wage Act. The Fair Wage Act (or “Minimum Wage Ordinance”) will be on the agenda. The City Council has the option, again, to listen to the needs of the people and simply pass the Act, raising the minimum wage for large employers to pay their workers in Eureka. If the Council does not, we will continue organizing and pass the initiative at the ballot box!
Wage Hike Proposal Headed to Eureka City Council
North Coast Journal, Ryan Burns, Mar. 8, 2013
Here’s a ray of hope for people working at Eureka’s Taco Bell. Or Wal-Mart. Or any other business in the city that pays workers as little as the law will tolerate:
A petition to boost Eureka’s minimum wage to $12 an hour has received enough valid signatures to be presented to the City Council at its March 19 meeting.
http://urlet.com/games.leading or:
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/blogthing/2013/03/08/wage-hike-proposal-headed-eureka-city-council/
Times-Standard Coverage:
http://www.times-standard.com/breakingnews/ci_22751562/fair-wage-act-go-before-eureka-city-council
Rasmussen Poll: 54% Favor Raising Minimum Wage to $9 An Hour
“Most voters don’t think the minimum wage is enough to live on and support President Obama’s proposal to raise it from $7.25 an hour to $9 an hour. They’re more narrowly divided, however, when asked if hiking the minimum wage will be good for the economy.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters favor raising the minimum wage to $9 an hour. Thirty-four percent (34%) are opposed, while 12% are not sure.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 14-15, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.”
http://truth-out.org/news/item/14685-poll-voters-say-minimum-wage-is-not-enough-to-live-on
Jim Hightower: Do More Than the Minimum on Minimum Wage
Do more than the minimum on minimum wage
Monday, February 18, 2013 |
Posted by Jim Hightower
podcast http://jimhightower.com/sites/jimhightower.civicactions.net/files/5-21_m_show.mp3
story http://jimhightower.com/node/7962
“In the wealthiest nation on Earth,” President Obama declared in his State of the Union speech, “no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty.” Right! Not only does his call to raise America’s minimum wage put some real pop in populism, but it could finally start putting some ethics back in our country’s much-celebrated, (but rarely-honored) “work ethic.” Kudos to Obama for putting good economics and good morals together – and for putting this long overdue increase on the front burner.
But then came the number: $9 an hour. Excuse me, Mr. President, but that means a person who “works full-time” would nonetheless “have to live in poverty.” Yes, nine bucks is a buck-seventy-five better than the current pay, but it’s still a poverty wage, and it doesn’t even elevate the buying power of our wage floor back to where it was in 1968.
~VISIT LINKS ABOVE FOR THE REST OF IT~
George Clark & Linda Atkins Propose Ordinance to Raise the Minimum Wage (2008)
“Linda Atkins and I are both running for Eureka City Council and we have proposed an ordinance raising Eureka’s minimum wage by $1.”
George Clark, LTE, Times-Standard, Oct. 23, 2008
Blogging the Eureka Fair Wage Act
Wage Hike Proposal Headed to Eureka City Council
North Coast Journal, Ryan Burns, Mar. 8, 2013
Here’s a ray of hope for people working at Eureka’s Taco Bell. Or Wal-Mart. Or any other business in the city that pays workers as little as the law will tolerate:
A petition to boost Eureka’s minimum wage to $12 an hour has received enough valid signatures to be presented to the City Council at its March 19 meeting.
http://urlet.com/games.leading or:
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/blogthing/2013/03/08/wage-hike-proposal-headed-eureka-city-council/
Take the poll at KIEM! Raise wages in Eureka!
Feb. 12, 2013
Too Old to Play Full Court
Feb. 11, 2013
http://radmul.blogspot.com/2013/02/too-old-to-play-full-court.html
George Clark & Linda Atkins 2008 Campaign Statement on the Need to Raise the Minimum Wage in Eureka
Feb. 9, 2013
“George Clark and Linda Atkins believe in building our economy from the ground up. Raising wages in Eureka, which are so far below the state average, is the right and fair thing to do for Eureka’s working families. When the spending power of working families goes up, so does morale, which leads to productivity boosts, lowers job turnover, all in an ongoing “virtuous cycle,” and everyone benefits. Furthermore, increased spending by Eureka’s workers creates more demand for products, helping businesses while creating more jobs in the process.”
Eureka Wages Going Up?
February 8, 2013
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/blogthing/2013/02/08/eureka-wages-going/
Fair Wage Folks Turn in Signatures at Eureka City Hall for $12 Minimum Wage Ordinance
February 8, 2013
Last week of signature gathering for Eureka Fair Wage Act
January 26, 2013
Eureka Fair Wage Act
January 19, 2013
http://radmul.blogspot.com/2012/07/eureka-fair-wage-act.html
Occupy Minimum Wage
January 17, 2013
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/arts/2013/01/17/occupy-minimum-wage/
Benefit for Eureka Fair Wage Act; Rooster McClintock, Jan 19
January 8, 2013
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/benefit-for-eureka-fair-wage-act-rooster-mcclintock-jan-19/ and http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/benefit-fundraiser-for-the-eureka-fair-wage-act/ and http://tomsebourn.blogspot.com/2013/01/fundraiser-for-eureka-fair-wage-act.html
Benefit for Fair Wages
January 7, 2013
http://thebicyclegnome.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/fair-wade-benefit/
“Fair Wage Cafe” next Saturday
December 8, 2012
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/fair-wage-cafe-next-saturday/
Fair Wage Graphic Contest offers $100 reward
December 1, 2012
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2012/12/01/fair-wage-graphic-contest-offers-100-reward/
Eureka Fair Wage Act — What do people think?
November 26, 2012
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/eureka-fair-wage-act-what-do-people-think/
Group seeks Eureka Fair Wage Act
September 30, 2012
http://humboldtherald.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/group-seeks-eureka-fair-wage-act/
The Drive For Fair Wages in Eureka
September 8, 2012
“After being out for two or three sessions of sig gathering for the Eureka Fair Wage Act I can say that I am stoked about how well people are taking to the message. It is very easy to get people to sign, and it is fun. We are meeting lots of new people and making new friends. Some people are saying “$12.00 an hour? HELL YEAH!” Some folks are thanking us for the work we are doing!” “We are fixing what is broken.”
http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/the-drive-for-fair-wages-in-eureka/
EUREKA FAIR WAGE ACT – THE BEGINNING
August 14, 2012
http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/eureka-fair-wage-act-the-beginning/
Eureka Fair Wage Act
August 13, 2012
http://northbayuprising.blogspot.com/2012/08/eureka-fair-wage-act.html
We File
July 26, 2012
http://thebicyclegnome.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/we-file/
The Fair Wage Proponents
July 26, 2012
http://thebicyclegnome.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/the-initiative-proponents/
Fair Wage Initiative Filed in Eureka California
July 26, 2012
http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/fair-wage-initiative-filed-in-eureka-california/
Eureka Fair Wage Act
July 20, 2012
http://thebicyclegnome.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/eureka-fair-wage-act/
Eureka Fair Wage Act Initiative
July 19, 2012
http://highboldtage.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/eureka-fair-wage-act-initiative/
Fair Wage Folks Turn in Signatures at Eureka City Hall for $12 Minimum Wage Ordinance
For Immediate Release 2/8/13
Fair Wage Folks Turn in Signatures at Eureka City Hall for $12 Minimum Wage Ordinance
Media Contact: James Decker (707) 761-5247 info@fairwages.org
Eureka, CA: On Thursday afternoon, February 7th, the “Fair Wage folks” submitted about 2,700 petition signatures to qualify the Eureka Fair Wage Act (aka Minimum Wage Ordinance) for the city ballot. This people’s initiative, if passed by voters, would raise the minimum wage from $8 to $12 for large employers to pay their workers in the city limits.
The Fair Wage folks thank the people of Eureka and throughout the county for their warm support and look forward to winning a fairer wage this year.
The Eureka City Clerk and the Humboldt County Elections Office have up to 30 days to report as to the sufficiency of the petitions. Once certified, the Eureka City Council can choose to pass the Fair Wage Act as written or to set an election for a vote of the people.
“I used to work at McDonald’s making minimum wage. You know what that means when someone pays you minimum wage? You know what your boss was trying to say? It’s like “Hey if I could pay you less, I would, but it’s against the law.”
- Chris Rock
Full Text of Fair Wage Act
http://eurekafairwageact.wordpress.com/text-of-the-eureka-fair-wage-act/
graphics/artists info & credits:
http://eurekafairwageact.wordpress.com/fair-wage-graphics-contest/
KIEM Ch. 3: http://kiem-tv.com/node/4758
North Coast Journal: http://www.northcoastjournal.com/blogthing/2013/02/08/eureka-wages-going/
Thank You Eureka!
Chris Hedges: We Need a National Movement to Raise the Minimum Wage!
Chris Hedges via truthdig.com
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/breaking_the_chains_of_debt_peonage_20130203//
“Debt peonage is a fundamental tool for control. This debt peonage must be broken if we are going to build a mass movement to paralyze systems of corporate power. And the most effective weapon we have to liberate ourselves as well as the 30 million Americans who make up the working poor is a sustained movement to raise the minimum wage nationally to at least $11 an hour. Most of these 30 million low-wage workers are women and people of color. They and their families struggle at a subsistence level and play one lender off another to survive. By raising their wages we raise not only the quality of their lives but we increase their capacity for personal and political power. We break one of the most important shackles used by the corporate state to prevent organized resistance.
Ralph Nader, whom I spoke with on Thursday, has been pushing activists to mobilize around raising the minimum wage. Nader, who knows more about corporate power and has been fighting it longer than any other American, has singled out, I believe, the key to building a broad-based national movement. There is among these underpaid 30 million workers—and some of them are with us tonight—a mounting despair at being unable to meet even the basic requirements to maintain a family. Nader points out that Walmart’s 1 million workers, like most of the 30 million low-wage workers, are making less per hour, adjusted for inflation, than workers made in 1968, although these Walmart workers do the work required of two Walmart workers 40 years ago.
If the federal minimum wage from 1968 were adjusted for inflation it would be $10.50. Instead, although costs and prices have risen sharply, the federal minimum wage remains stuck at $7.25 an hour. It is the lowest of the major industrial countries.”
