Fair Labor Standards

I-1433  Fair Labor Standards   

Ballot language: Initiative Measure No 1433 concerns labor standards. This measure would increase the state minimum wage to $11.00 in 2017, $11.50 in 2018, $12.00 in 2019, and $13.50 in 2020, require employers to provide paid sick leave, and adopt related laws. Should this measure be enacted into law?

Sponsored by Raise Up Washington  http://www.raiseupwa.com/   I-1433 will raise the minimum wage statewide to $13.50 over a 4 year period, and  provide up to 7 days of paid sick leave and safe leave.

Opposed is the Columbian newspaper http://www.columbian.com/news/2016/oct/04/in-our-view-no-on-initiative-1433/  which claims, as ever, that while “robust minimum wage important concern, but ballot measure goes too far.” Their objection appears to be that Washington already has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, and both Patty Murray and Hillary Clinton said they could see a $12.00/hr minimum and we shouldn’t move too fast. They propose waiting to see how Seattle’s increased minimum wage works before taking it statewide.

Personally, I think people are for the most part paid far less than they are worth to their employers and usually far less than they need to survive in this society.

I will be voting YES on I-1433