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Statement

STATEMENT OF KRISTIN ROWE-FINKBEINER, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising, on the Seattle City Council Vote to Increase the Minimum Wage to $15 an Hour

June 2, 2014
Workplace Justice

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Moms Organization Applauds Vote to Increase Minimum Wage to a Living Wage, Urges Other Cities to Do the Same
“The Seattle City Council’s vote today to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour is nothing short of historic. This will give Seattle the highest minimum wage in the nation and one that truly constitutes a living wage. Right now, an estimated one in four Seattle workers makes much less than that, and those workers are disproportionately women, moms, and people of color. Seattle will soon become a better place to work, live and raise families. 
 
“Seattle’s moms are trying to make ends meet, but too often are having to choose between putting dinner on the table and paying a utility bill. That’s a choice no one should have to face. Today’s vote is an important step toward making that choice unnecessary and toward boosting our economy overall.
 
“MomsRising, which has more than 40,000 members in Washington State and more than a million members nationwide, applauds the Seattle City Council for taking this action for our economy and our families. This is a landmark moment not only for Seattle, but for the entire country. We say good work, Seattle, and we hope other cities will soon follow Seattle’s lead.”
 

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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.