On this historic day, when Governor Dayton signed a minimum wage increase of $9.50 an hour, indexed to inflation, into law — let’s take a look back at the top 10 things members like you did to make this day possible.
1. Talked to our legislators in their districts, like these meetings with Senator Ann Rest in Robbinsdale and in Grand Rapids with Representatives Metsa, Melin, Radinovich, Persell, & Anzelc and Senators Tomassoni & Saxhaug
2. Attended our caucuses and conventions to talk to our neighbors and senators about raising the wage. (Our Grand Rapids Organizer said this Itasca County convention had 95% of delegates wearing raise the wage stickers before she ran out!)
3. Spoke up against a proposal to put a constitutional amendment on the 2014 ballot to index the wage — making it loud and clear that working families deserved a raise now, not a vote in November.
4. Made 6,000 calls to Minnesotans and sent nearly 2,000 emails to legislators.
5. Collected more than 6,000 petitions signatures with CREDO Mobilize.
6. Knocked on 2,000 doors to talk to working families about what raising the wage would mean to them.
7. Members like K’Shauna testified at legislative hearings to make sure that legislators heard from the working Minnesotans who will benefit from this increase.
8. We joined nearly 1,000 of our friends on Black Friday to march for an end to poverty wages, and 25 of them were arrested in an act of civil disobedience.
9. We joined single moms, their kids and allies and marched on Wal-Mart, calling on them to enact policies that lift women and their families out of poverty.
10. We celebrated at the Capitol with the women senators who championed raising the wage for the over 200,000 Minnesota women who will benefit.
But we’re not done. Even after this enormous victory, roughly a million Minnesotans still lack paid sick time, employer-sponsored retirement plans, or a living wage. Want to be involved with what’s next? Get in touch with Jessica at Jessica@TakeActionMinnesota.org.
