Yesterday TRU was proud to stand alongside our allies in the Raise the Wage Burien campaign as we turned in 6,000 petition signatures to the city clerk the minimum wage. You can read about it today in The Seattle Times and check out our press release below.
TRU is proud to be a leader in the movement to raise minimum wages and labor standards for workers across King County and beyond. Did you know that we’re inspiring action across the state? A citizen’s initiative in Bellingham inspired by our successful Tukwila minimum wage campaign won at the ballot last November, and now organizers in Tacoma and Olympia are gearing up for local minimum wage campaigns next year. And we helped to beat back the recent push to roll back Seattle’s landmark minimum wage law.
Burien Community-Worker Coalition Submits Initiative Petition to Raise the Minimum Wage to Match Neighboring Cities
On Monday, August 12, a coalition of Burien residents and workers, community organizations, and labor unions delivered a petition with over 6,000 signatures of Burien voters to the city clerk. They aim to qualify for the February 2025 ballot.
“I believe raising the minimum wage will benefit the local community, especially seniors who are now in the situation where they have to work,” said Gigi Green, a Burien homeowner and pharmacy technician. “When I was a kid, seniors retired. They sat on the porch and talked about us. Now they’re working at McDonalds, they’re greeters at the big box stores.”
The proposed measure would raise Burien’s minimum wage to parity with nearby jurisdictions: White Center, Tukwila, Renton, SeaTac, and Seattle. Specifically, the new rate would match Tukwila and Renton, whose minimum wages are $20.29 this year, with a three-year phase-in for mid-size businesses and a seven-year phase-in for the smallest businesses. The minimum wage in unincorporated King County, including White Center, will rise on a similar schedule thanks to legislation passed by the King County Council earlier this year.
“A livable wage contributes to a thriving community,” said Sam Mendez, Vice Chair of the 33rd LD Democrats. “Raising the minimum wage is a longstanding principle of the Democratic Party, and I wholeheartedly support this effort to bring Burien’s wage in line with its neighbors. We want Burien to continue to be a place where people of all income levels can live, work, play, and thrive.”
The measure also includes an “access to hours” policy, similar to the Tukwila and Renton initiatives, requiring that large and medium-size employers offer available hours to qualified part-time employees before hiring new employees. This is intended to give workers access to full-time work when practical.
“As a teacher my experience was working with families who were always struggling to bring food to the table or pay the rent,” said Sandra Aguilar, a retired teacher (and current substitute teacher) in the Highline School District. “They could not wait for their kids to grow up so they could bring income to the family. Over the years I saw them again and they’d tell me ‘Oh now they’re working at McDonalds, at Walgreens.’ I ask are they still at home, and they say ‘Yes maestra, yes teacher, because it’s impossible for them to get their own apartment so they’re still living at home, and we need the money.’”
“As an educator who advocated for the minimum wage increase in Tukwila I have seen first hand how it has an impact on the whole family,” said Burien resident and Tukwila educator Jennifer Fichamba. “My families have shared that they no longer need a second job and are able to go to their kids’ events. Increasing the wage had a ripple effect! Wages for workers throughout the community increased.”
The Raise the Wage Burien coalition originally hoped that the Burien City Council would pass strong minimum wage legislation, but the ordinance the council passed in March is so full of carve-outs and loopholes that it will give very few workers a raise, leaving Burien a low-wage island surrounded by higher-wage cities. It is also complicated, confusing, and unenforceable; workers will have to take their bosses’ word as to what wage they are supposed to be paid. In fact, the ordinance was applauded by business interests and opposed by labor unions and worker organizations. For these reasons, the coalition is going to the ballot.
“Burien is an incredible place to live, filled with hardworking families who deserve to earn a living wage, stay in their homes, raise their kids here, and contribute to our vibrant community,” said Rashell Lisowski, a Burien resident and business owner as well as Organizing Director at the Washington Community Action Network. “As the co-owner and operator of a locksmith business in Burien, I take immense pride in the fact that the employees we contract make well above minimum wage. A higher minimum wage builds our city, strengthens our community, and puts money in the pockets of local business owners like myself.”
The Raise the Wage Burien coalition includes the 33rd and 34th LD Democrats, Alimentando El Pueblo, Burien Arts Association, Burien People Power, Community Visions, Highline Education Association, Queer Power Alliance, MLK Labor, NAACP Seattle-King County, Transit Riders Union, UFCW 3000, Weed Warriors, Working Families Party, and Working Washington.
“Working Families Party has been a proud partner in this campaign working with our partners to collect signatures,” said Vanessa Clifford, Pacific Northwest Regional Director of the Working Families Party. “We believe that people should be able to earn a living wage and not have to work multiple jobs to sustain themselves and their families.”