SEIU 1021 Ballot Campaigns to Raise Minimum Wage in San Francisco and Oakland Headed for Likely Victory

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 192,000 workers in San Francisco and Oakland are expected to win a raise at the ballot box this November, continuing the fight against economic inequality, thanks to two popular initiatives filed by a coalition of SEIU 1021, community-based organizations, and fellow labor unions.

Strong support of these two initiatives will give momentum to minimum wage proposals in California, where nearly one million workers total are already looking forward to a raise in their minimum wage.

The Bay Area initiatives will benefit 192,000 workers, and add nearly $500 million in consumer spending power to the local economy, according to research by the UC Berkeley Center on Labor and Employment Research.  Proposals in Los Angeles and San Diego will add more than 700,000 workers, and San Jose's law added another 70,000.

Looking Forward.  Additional proposals to increase the Minimum Wage include:

• Both Sunnyvale and Mountain View voted to raise their Minimum Wage to $10.30 in 2015 (matching San Jose), and cover tens of thousands of workers.
• Community groups in Berkeley and Richmond are preparing 2016 ballot measures to raise the wage to $15, and cover tens of thousands of workers.
• Dozens of other Bay Area cities are considering proposals to raise the wage—from Emeryville to Hayward.
• California itself is considering raising its Minimum Wage from $10 to $13 with legislation authored by Sen. Mark Leno.

"Raising the Minimum Wage is just one step in fighting economic inequality, but it is an amazing step," said Gary Jimenez, SEIU 1021East Bay Vice President. "Times are difficult for so many families right now, wages are flat or even falling, and it feels like many of us haven't recovered from the Great Recession. Raising the Minimum Wage gives people hope that things can become better."

"Today the Bay Area, tomorrow Los Angeles, and next year all of California," said Alysabeth Alexander, SEIU 1021 Vice President for Politics. "The public doesn't just support raising the Minimum Wage--they demand it. Cities across California will be considering how high to raise the Minimum Wage, and our job at SEIU is to make sure they hear from the public."

The proponent of Measure FF is Lift Up Oakland (www.LiftUpOakland.org) and the proponent of Proposition J is the Campaign for a Fair Economy (www.RaiseUpSF.org).

SEIU Local 1021 represents over 54,000 community service employees throughout Northern California.

SOURCE SEIU 1021