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News release

Paid Sick Day Initiatives, Childcare, Minimum Wage Increases, Win Big in Red States and Blue States

November 5, 2014
Health Care, MomsVote, Paid Sick Days

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Moms Group Urges Elected Officials to Listen to their Constituents and Focus on Expanding Paid Sick Days, Childcare, and Minimum Wage Increases Nationwide
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, historic wins swept the nation as voters backed paid sick day legislation, increased access to affordable childcare, and minimum wage increases for low wage workers. In Massachusetts, and in cities in New Jersey and California, voters backed ballot initiatives guaranteeing paid sick days to nearly 1 million workers. In Seattle, voters approved increased access to affordable childcare. In Arkansas, Alaska, Illinois, South Dakota, and three cities in California, voters approved ballot measures that raised the minimum wage for an estimated 1.7 million workers, the majority of whom are women and mothers.    
 
“The outcome of partisan races IS NOT the whole story coming out of election night.  Last night, in both red states and blue states, voters overwhelmingly backed economic security policies that boost women, children and families, as well as our economy. In Seattle, a historic affordable childcare policy passed. In Massachusetts and cities across the country, voters supported guaranteeing paid sick days to nearly 1 million workers; and multiple states passed increases to the minimum wage for an estimated 1.7 million low wage workers, most of whom are women and mothers,” explained Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director of MomsRising.org. “Plain and simple, voters care about economic security for their families, their communities, and our nation.  Women, moms, and their families will continue to advocate for these issues until every worker is guaranteed paid sick days, affordable childcare, and are paid a fair, liveable wage. Our elected officials would be wise to listen to their constituents in both red states and blue states and come together to make these public policy goals a reality for all.”
 
Volunteers from MomsRising, which has over a million members, including members in every state in the nation, made calls, sent letters, shared their stories, and made their voices heard on these important policies over the past year.
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.