Celebrating DC Wage Increase, Advocates Say There's More To Do
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)The coalition
of workers, business owners, faith leaders,
labor organizations
and community groups that in recent years has
won increases in the city’s minimum
wage and expanded the paid sick days law on
Tuesday renewed their call to raise
the tipped minimum wage and improve wage theft
enforcement.
In front of the Flava
Restaurant, whose owner is a supporter, the
coalition celebrated the July 1
effective date of new laws that will raise
DC’s minimum wage to $11.50 an hour
by 2016, tie increases after that to the cost
of living and close loopholes in
the previous earned sick leave bill so that
restaurant workers are included and
all workers can use accrued sick leave after 90
days on the job.
“We are
demonstrating what can happen when we
work together!” said Rev. Graylan Hagler of
Plymouth Congregational United
Church. “We have lots still left to do and
we'll keep on fighting until all of
DC's workers have access to a wage increase,”
tweeted ROC-DC. After the press
conference, workers and advocates canvassed
businesses in the Shaw neighborhood
to ensure business owners know requirements of
the new laws and workers know
their rights.