Labor has taken on a great fight this fall: to win a raise for 2.1 million low-wage California workers. Proposition 210, the Living Wage Initiative, means the difference between poverty and a living wage for the families of Californiaís lowest-paid workers.
Prop. 210 will test laborís political clout. The nation will be watching how we do in California. This is a must win. We must prepare for a vicious campaign against Proposition 210, financed by the poverty wage bosses. They say theyíll spend $5 million against Prop. 210. We will win, but only if we get out our message about economic justice.
Who are Californiaís low-wage workers? They are the people who perform some of our dirtiest, hardest and most dangerous work. Of 2.1 million low-wage workers, 80% are adults, and almost 1.4 million are women. More than 700,000 are the main or sole support for their families. Most work for profit-making businesses in retail, agriculture, hotel and restaurant, and clerical jobs. Over 175,000 minimum wage workers care for our elderly and disabled citizens.
The federal minimum wage increase provides Californiaís low wage workers and families with a necessary downpayment on restoring lost purchasing power. Currently, a full-time minimum wage workerís income is 32% below the poverty line for a family of three. The federal wage increase restores 48% of purchasing power lost since 1979. In two steps, Prop. 210, will raise the minimum wage to $5.75, restoring 81% of lost purchasing power.
While the Governor, the Legislature and corporate executives have all gotten big pay raises, the minimum wage has been frozen. Since 1988, corporate CEO pay is up 108%. Corporate profits are up 68%. Inflation is up 26%. But Californiaís lowest-paid workers havenít gotten a raise in over 7 years.
Middle class and working people are falling behind, and the lowest paid are hit the hardest. Prop 210 is a modest raise for people who play by the rules and contribute to our economy. Itís long overdue. Letís put a positive value on hard work by passing Prop. 210.
Prop. 210 is crucial to laborís political fate in California. A visible campaign on its behalf can help get out the vote needed to elect laborís candidates, and infuse our united campaign with added purpose. Prop. 210 provides a clear distinction between candidates who support working families, and those who donít. Only a united effort will deliver this tremendous victory for working families. Letís give labor and low-wage workers a decisive win in November!
Mr. Pulaski is President, and Mr. Rankin is Secretary-Treasurer, of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.
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