1) Justice for Janitor’s rally Thursday May 15 on the stairs at UWT, 12:00 to 1:30. Support the janitor’s and push UWT to raise the standards. Janitor services contracted out to a very exploitive non-union contractor.

2) Action Group Meeting Saturday May 17, 4:00 to 5:30 pm at First United Methodist Church, 621 Tacoma Ave South (not south tacoma way).

Call 253-973-8153 for more details.

$15.00/hour would have to be the base wage in Seattle, WASHINGTON.

A COLA is automatic in all of the state of Washington by law.

Any law passed in Seattle, WASHINGTON would have to work in conjunction with already existing state law, correct?

If this is constitutional at all it would have to be X Seattle wage AND COLA.

This is annoying because they both seem to be trying to grant a favor that is already a right by the law of the state of Washington.

How does all this compare to what they have done in San Francisco, or Eugene, Oregon or wherever else in the last several years?

Thanx

(11 years @ 2.4% inflation)
Adjustment factor = (1.024)^11 = 1.298

Then:

Real wage = Final target / adjustment factor
= $18.13 / 1.298 = $13.97 (over a dollar short!)

Solution?

Final target = $15.00 * adjustment factor
= $15.00 * 1.298 = $19.47 (if we assume 11-year phase in, of course!)

========

The adjustment factor is determined by both expected inflation and the duration of the phase-in. Sawant’s proposal would adjust the big business $15 for one year of inflation, and the small-biz $15 for four years’ inflation, since it’s technically a four-year phase in.

Councilor Sawant should take up this detail with the advisory committee. If we can get full inflation adjustments including the first three years, it would add up to a compromise measure I’d gladly support!

Another question: Just exactly how does the tip and healthcare credit work with this prop? I seem to have heard that the total comp credit is only temporary, and that eventually everyone will have to pay the full $15 (or $14.02).

I’m currently pushing for a “$12 plus inflation” statewide minimum wage for Oregon, which would get the whole state to $12 in today’s dollars by adjusting for all inflation accrued during the phase-in. And for Portland, it would be “$15 plus inflation” !

I think Ms. Sawant should declare herself willing to vote “yes” on the proposal, but with one revision: Adjust for inflation for the entire 11-year period of Mayor Murray’s chart, not just from 2017 onward. If you do a quick calculation the final number comes out to only $14.02 in today’s dollars. A REAL “$15 plus inflation” phase-in would give a nominal wage of $19.47 in the year 2025, assuming the 2.4% inflation rate.

If Sawant can push for this one change while accepting tip credits as a compromise, then she and 15Now.org can claim a triumphant victory and use their organizational funds to spread the movement to other cities. Let’s not spin our wheels by making the perfect the enemy of the good!

ww.lpwa.org