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15 Now Tacoma Endorses Spokane Worker Rights Initiative

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A group called Envision Spokane (ES) is sponsoring a ballot initiative that would enact a so-called “Workers’ Bill of Rights.” The Spokane City Council referred ES’s proposal, Initiative 2015-2 to be placed on Spokane’s November ballot after ES had gathered the required number of signatures to qualify it for the ballot.

However, the Mayor and City Council, at the behest of business and special interests, are now trying to scuttle this initiative. These measures include the Mayor filing a lawsuit to try to knock part of it off the ballot. The City Council also placed several “advisory” questions on the ballot, which are actually poison pill questions. You can read about this cynical and manipulative ploy by clicking here.

At our last Action Group meeting (Aug 1, 2015), after discussing this campaign, our 15 Now Tacoma volunteer teammates unanimously endorsed Spokane’s Workers’ Bill of Rights. The Envision Spokane group had already endorsed 15 Now Tacoma and Initiative Measure 1, in a show of solidarity.

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Help Build the “Raise the Wage” Rally, 6/30/2015

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Help us build RAISE UP TACOMA’s rally to take place on June 30, 3:30 to 5 PM! At 5 PM, the attendees will march to the City Council chambers at 747 Market Street and will fill the chambers for the City Council meeting.

The rally itself takes place at the Theater of the Square at 916 Broadway in Tacoma.. We will march to the rally a bit after it begins.

The City Council will consider the Minimum Wage Task Force’s (MWTF) counterproposals to Proposition 1. You are invited to sign up to testify about that to the City Council. Sign-up sheets will be available at about 5 in the City Council chambers at 747 Market Street.

Our 15 Now Tacoma contingent will be demanding (A) $15/hour NOW (B) No phase in, (C) No watered-down ballot measures. Please wear your red 15-Now tee shirt if you have one, or anything else bright red if you don’t have one. Join our 15 Now Tacoma contingent at the “Raise the Wage Rally.” The Paper Tiger Collective will have some 15 Now Tacoma red shirts available for a $10 donation to help raise funds for Proposition 1.

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Next Action Group General Membership Meeting

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Join 15 Now Tacoma for our weekly action group meeting, September 12, 2015. Learn about Initiative Measure 1, which will be on the ballot in November of 2015. This proposed measure will raise the minimum wage in Tacoma to $15 per hour.

The bosses are fighting this with every tool they can. They will spend millions and try to induce the Mayor and City Council to confuse you with phony alternative measures. Come to our meeting and help us plan our campaign to win this fight.

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The Video that Frightened the Chamber

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On May Day, 2015 (05/01/2015), a coalition of trade unionists, community groups, and low-wage workers organized a traditional International Workers Day march and rally. There were many excellent speakers. One such speaker was Mike Ladd, a 15 Now Tacoma volunteer. The crowd enthusiastically received Mike’s speech. Another 15 Now Tacoma volunteer made a video of it and uploaded it to YouTube.

However, the video failed to wow members of the local Chamber of Commerce (CoC). It dawned on the Chamber a few months ago that Tacoma’s low-wage workers meant business about getting a fair wage. They also realized a sizable percentage of Tacoma’s voters support Proposition 1, a ballot initiative that will raise the minimum wage immediately to $15/hour—with NO phase in. Here is the video that the Chamber of Commerce doesn’t want you to see.

The CoC held a meeting to plan a way of sticking a wrench into Prop 1’s spokes. At their meeting, they featured this video to energize the CoC attendees into action. Apparently, Mike’s eloquent demand for justice frightened them out of their wits.

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Does Prop 1 Raise Wages Too Fast & Too Much?

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By Max Hyland
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Reprinted from a Facebook Post

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One of the critiques we have heard is that immediately increasing the minimum wage by 58% will have a disastrous effect on the economy. Usually to go along with this complaint is a claim that the minimum wage has never gone up that fast before, which is false.

In 1949 the minimum wage went up by 87.5% all at once, overnight. Just a few years later it went up another 33%, overnight.

The 50s were a period of strong economic growth, explosive economic growth, and unprecedented increases in the distribution of wealth and the prosperity of the American public including businesses.

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Action Group General Meeting, April 18, 2015

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Join 15 Now Tacoma for our weekly action group meeting, April 18, 2015. Learn about and help get Proposition 1 on the ballot in November of 2015. It will raise the minimum wage in Tacoma to $15 per hour.

Child care will be provided at the meeting. Just email us and let us know that you are bringing your child(ren) so that we can be prepared. Contact Sarah for more info: 253-973-8153

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Location:
First United Methodist Church
621 Tacoma Ave S,
Rear of building
Date:
April 18, 2015
Time:
4 to 5:30 PM

Action Group General Meeting, 04/11/2015

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Join 15 Now Tacoma for our weekly action group meeting, April 11, 2015. Learn about and help get Proposition 1 on the ballot in November of 2015. It will raise the minimum wage in Tacoma to $15 per hour.

Child care will be provided at the meeting. Just email us and let us know that you are bringing your child(ren) so that we can be prepared. Contact Sarah for more info: 253-973-8153

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Location:
First United Methodist Church
621 Tacoma Ave S,
Rear of building
Date:
April 11, 2015
Time:
4 to 5:30 PM

Action Group General Meeting, 04/04/2015

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Join 15 Now Tacoma for our weekly action group meeting, April 4, 2015. Learn about and help get Proposition 1 on the ballot in November of 2015. It will raise the minimum wage in Tacoma to $15 per hour.

Child care will be provided at the meeting. Just email us and let us know that you are bringing your child(ren) so that we can be prepared. Contact Sarah for more info: 253-973-8153

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Location:
First United Methodist Church
621 Tacoma Ave S,
Rear of building
Date:
April 4, 2015
Time:
4 to 5:30 PM

Action Group General Meeting, 03/14/2015

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Join 15 Now Tacoma for our weekly action group meeting, March 14, 2015. Learn about and help get Proposition 1 on the ballot in November of 2015. It will raise the minimum wage in Tacoma to $15 per hour.

Child care will be provided at the meeting. Just email us and let us know that you are bringing your child(ren) so that we can be prepared. Contact Sarah for more info: 253-973-8153

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Location:
First United Methodist Church
621 Tacoma Ave S,
Rear of building
Date:
March 14, 2015
Time:
4 to 5:30 PM

Action Group General Meeting, 03/07/2015

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Join 15 Now Tacoma for our weekly action group meeting, March 7, 2015. Learn about and help get Proposition 1 on the ballot in November of 2015. It will raise the minimum wage in Tacoma to $15 per hour.

Child care will be provided at the meeting. Just email us and let us know that you are bringing your child(ren) so that we can be prepared. Contact Sarah for more info: 253-973-8153

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Location:
First United Methodist Church
621 Tacoma Ave S,
Rear of building
Date:
March 7, 2015
Time:
4 to 5:30 PM