Federal Minimum Wage increases to $7.25/hour

The federal minimum wage will increase today, raising wages of the lowest paid workers from $6.55/hour to $7.25/hour and providing a real boost to working families and the economy. Workers who benefit from the increase will spend it in their local communities on much needed items like milk, diapers and clothes for their children.

Marilynn Winn is a temp worker in Atlanta earning $6.75/hour at an auto auction. “Increasing the minimum wage will help me and everyone in my community,” she says. “I help my 77 year old mother and 18 year old grandson when I can. Sometimes my mother calls asking for help to buy food and I have to say, 'I can’t this week.'”

Such basic needs might not sound like the elements of an economic recovery package. But according to the Economic Policy Institute, this $24 per week increase for full-time minimum wage workers will generate $5.5 billion in consumer spending over the next year - providing a helping hand to the sagging economy. Though Congress could not foresee our current economic troubles when a series of three wage increases were enacted in 2007, this minimum wage increase could not come at a better time – for low-wage, working families and for the country as a whole.

When President Franklin Roosevelt first proposed the first federal minimum wage law in 1937, he noted that "The increase in national purchasing power (is) an underlying necessity of the day.”

Thirty-one states will be affected by the minimum wage increase, including Georgia and Wisconsin where 9to5 has worked in coalition with business, labor, faith, nonprofit and civil rights organizations to ensure that working families receive what Roosevelt called a “fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.” Other states where 9to5 has launched campaigns, including Colorado and California, have a minimum wage above $7.25.

Recent economic studies document that states where the minimum wage was raised had better employment and small business growth than states that did not. A letter signed by 650 leading economists, in support of raising the minimum wage, noted “most of the beneficiaries are adults, most are female and the vast majority (come from) low-income working families.” Disputing claims that these increases threaten job growth, they state, “The increase… would not have the adverse effects that critics have claimed.”

While the federal minimum wage increase will go into effect at a time when working families are struggling mightily to make ends meet, the American worker, particularly low-wage workers, need and deserve more: guaranteed paid sick days, more affordable child care for working parents and time off to be involved in their children’s school activities.

As we celebrate this minimum wage increase and all that it promises, let’s continue to move toward family-friendly workplace legislation so that the workplace works for all of us.

- Statement of Cindia Cameron
Organizing Director, 9to5 National Association of Working Women
Co-Chair, Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition


ALSO: Check out Michael Kanell's article about the minimum wage hike in today's AJC... two 9to5 members were quoted!

Atlanta 9to5 Chapter Meeting!

Date & Time:	Saturday, June 20, 2009
	11:30am - 1:30pm

Location:	The Lotus Palace
	3470 Glensford Dr
	Decatur, GA

Get directions here!

Join 9to5 members and leaders at the next Chapter Meeting!

You can...
* Develop Leadership Skills
* Learn How to Become an Effective Advocate for Economic and Social Justice
* Meet Other 9to5 Members
* Enjoy fun team building activities ...

A special prize will be awarded to the member who can name five (5) positions that will open for election in our state in 2010!

RSVP to member Leslie Hudson if you are attending this meeting: 404.645.9233

For more information about the meeting, contact Shyria or Yomara by phone: 404.222.0037.


See you there!

looking for childcare?

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Introduces Statewide Child Care Referral Service

link to this press release: http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-01-2009/0005035862&EDATE=

ATLANTA, June 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Beginning today, Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is introducing a new service to help families locate accessible, affordable, quality child care. By calling toll-free - 1-877-ALL GA KIDS - families can learn about licensed child care in one of Georgia's approximately 3,000 child care learning centers, 250 group day care homes, and 5,300 family day care homes all across the state.

Callers to 1-877-ALL GA KIDS will speak to trained staff from Quality Care for Children, an independent, not-for-profit organization with whom Bright from the Start has contracted to consolidate information about child care providers in all 159 counties and to oversee the new referral service. Quality Care for Children representatives will help families connect with child care providers in their area who are licensed, convenient to work or home, and within the family budget. They will also provide information and advice on how to select a qualified child care provider. A searchable database will also be available at www.allgakids.org.

"Our goal is to equip parents with as much information as possible in order for them to make the best decisions for their families," said Dr. Holly Robinson, commissioner of Bright from the Start. "1-877-ALL GA KIDS is Georgia's source for parents to locate quality child care whether they are north in Fannin County or at the southern tip of the state in Lowndes County."

An estimated 64% of families in Georgia use child care, and demand is growing as more family members work outside the home. Quality Care for Children CEO Pam Tatum said as tough economic conditions put an additional strain on the child care services families use, more parents are turning to unlicensed providers who might cost less but aren't always safe or properly trained.

"In the 30 years Quality Care for Children has been operating, this may prove to be the most challenging time yet for the families we serve," Tatum said. "Many are overwhelmed by what's happened with the economy, and they're struggling to make difficult financial choices, so this referral program could not have come at a better time."

About Bright from the Start

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia's children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers federal nutrition programs, and manages voluntary quality enhancement programs.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.

About Quality Care for Children

Quality Care for Children is Georgia's leader in equipping parents and child care providers with the tools they need to receive and provide high quality, affordable child care so that all children have access to superior early learning experiences and are ready for school. For more information, go to www.qualitycareforchildren.org.

Note: Quality Care for Children partners with 9to5 on the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition! Check out their website above.

How will YOU celebrate Equal Pay Day?

Did you know?
In Georgia, college-educated men on average make $64,000 per year, while college educated women only earn $46,000 per year? That means that women are making just 74 cents for every dollar that men earn! (Statistics from AAUW, can be seen here.)


Next Tuesday, April 28th, is Equal Pay Day -- observed nationwide by women's, workers', and labor rights organizations. What will you be doing to commemorate this day?


Read more about Equal Pay Day on the 9to5 website to find out how you can get involved and support equal pay legislation! And, as always, let us know if you're planning or participating in any Equal Pay Day activities around metro Atlanta.

Have you been a victim of unequal pay? Tell your story through the 9to5 Voices Project!

Our Vote, Our Voice!

I recently spent the afternoon with a fellow 9to5 member and activist on the streets of Atlanta near the Capitol, talking to women (and some men!) about 9to5 and the policies we support. I have to admit, as we approached women we did not know, I was nervous! I expected that people would not be receptive and tell me they don’t have the time, but as we talked about the Parent Protection Act, paid sick days, and the Healthy Families Act, we discovered that many women agree with our policies. They are frustrated with the cost of childcare, the lack of health coverage for themselves and their families, and how difficult it has been to find a job.

We met very little opposition, but a few women said they already had paid sick leave and that our issues don’t pertain to them. They are fortunate to benefit from their company policies, but many don’t offer paid sick time or even a few hours to attend a school conference or doctor’s appointment. People assume that we all have the same work privileges but we don’t. It is up to our companies to decide, which is why we support statewide or federal policies. Sometimes a woman has to choose between a sick child and her job and it happens more often than we would like to admit.

Every day we wander the streets, unaware of the concerns and frustrations we share with the strangers we pass. Many of us forget that others love their children and want the very best for them, just as we do. Or like them, we spent down to the last dollar of our last paycheck, waiting impatiently for payday to help cover our waiting expenses. Or that a day that is free of worry or stress may not be shared by a neighbor or friend - that even though we might be doing well, others aren’t.

We asked these women to show support by signing purple cards that state "Our Vote, Our Voice!", which we share with our elected officials. We got 31 cards signed that day, but more important, my friend and I were able to connect with other women with whom we normally would not have spoken to. Next time you are waiting in a line and or riding the train, instead of ignoring the person next to you, strike up a conversation and find out just how similar you may be. Better yet, call our office at 404-227-0037 and make plans to pick up your own set of purple cards. It will give you a reason to reach out to others and show our elected officials that we care in numbers.

The Good Side of the Opposite Side

I recently had an opportunity to put the lobby training provided by the Women in the Halls to work by writing a letter to the representative in my district. The second part to writing the letter was making the delivery. To my own surprise I was able to do more than deliver I was able to speak with my representative along with another activist. We were both able to share our views and be listened to by Representative Pat Dooley on getting House Bill 37 (The Parent Protection Act) passed.

Her advice was more than what I expected to receive. She discussed how the bill affected everyone and that it wasn’t for us to seek help from one political party. Our next steps are to visit a few republicans and express why this bill is so important. My representative provided us with the motivation to continue to rally for the Parent Protection Act.

-- by 9to5 member Jackie Lunsford

On March 4^th, the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition was able to increase awareness of HB 290, raising the state minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to the federal level at the Women in the Halls/By the People lobby event and expanding coverage to more employees in the state. Sponsored by several progressive organizations, the event provided training as to how to talk to your legislator while the GA Minimum Wage Coalition supplied the information about increasing the state minimum wage.

We had a great turnout and thank all of our participants! Because we had constituents from several key districts in the Georgia, we were able to talk with Representatives Mike Coan (R-Dist. 101), Clay Cox (R- Dist. 102), Rahn Mayo (D- Dist. 91), Mary Margaret Oliver (D- Dist. 83), and Robbin Shipp (D- Dist. 58). Key to these meetings were our discussions with Rep. Coan, who heads the House Industrial Relations Committee. HB 290 is in his committee, but for the second straight year, he has not felt that the bill was important enough to bring to a committee hearing.

While Rep. Coan would not give us a direct answer about bringing HB 290 into a committee meeting before the end of the session on April 4^th, his neighboring colleague Rep. Cox expressed that he felt this was an issue that needs to be heard! Meanwhile, Representatives Mayo, Shipp, and Oliver also support the bill. All expressed, however, the need to hear from THEIR CONSTITUENTS to help bring the bill to a committee hearing. That means we must all be in contact with our Representatives, asking for their support of HB 290 and pressing Rep. Coan to bring this bill to a meeting THIS YEAR!

Georgians are being hit hard by unemployment and a lack of resources in these difficult economic times. Meanwhile, the state budget has been cut again. Rep. Coan only wants to hear bills that have to do with strengthening our economy without realizing how much HB 290 does impact our economy. Consumer spending makes up about 70% of our economy. Putting increased wages into the hands of workers puts them directly back into our local businesses and communities, strengthening both working Georgians and the state economy. This is a bill that his committee SHOULD be addressing.

Please call or write your Representatives and show support for HB 290!! They need to hear from us. They have asked us to contact them. Please visit www.georgialivingwage.org for more information about HB 290 and how to contact your legislators. Hard work deserves fair pay! We’d also like to thank the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Doug McKillip of Athens, for his continued support.

--Tracie

Stay tuned next week for updates on this past Wednesday's Parent Protection Act lobby day...

Take Action!

The rumors are true: Sonny Perdue is thinking about following the lead of many other southern governors by turning down some of the stimulus money offered to Georgia.

Perdue's reasoning is that certain provisions - specifically, an expansion of unemployment insurance (UI) - will lead to higher taxes in Georgia in the long run.

In order to receive the funding allocated for unemployment insurance, Georgia must make two reforms to its current UI program: UI benefits must be expanded to cover part-time workers and those who are in extended training programs.

Many states already made these reforms to their UI programs years ago, and now is a great time for Georgia to catch up! With our state's unemployment rate at record highs, why is Sonny Perdue refusing to reform the current system?

Many other southern governors, including Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Mark Sanford of South Carolina, have already rejected this funding for unemployment insurance. But, Perdue hasn't made up his mind yet!

NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ACTION! Contact Sonny Perdue's office and let him know you favor accepting all stimulus money offered to Georgia and an expansion of unemployment insurance benefits!

To reach the governor...
by phone: 404-656-1776
by fax: 404-656-5947
by email: fill out this web form
in person: State Capitol, room 203


MAKE SURE SONNY PERDUE HEARS YOUR VOICE!



For more information, please visit the following websites:
Franklin Wants Perdue to Take Stimulus Money - AJC.com
Georgia Unemployment Reaches Record High - AJC.com
Perdue, Labor Commissioner Debate Taking Stimulus Money - AJC.com
Take the Money and Update the Rules - NELP.org
Unemployment Insurance Links - NELP.org
Unemployment Insurance Reform - Women's Policy Group

Today at noon, students and seniors from across the state came together on the North Steps of the capitol building in support of the Parent Protection Act. We held a press conference, where 2 students from A. Philip Randolph Elementary (where the idea for the bill originated) and a senior citizen affiliated with the Georgia Council on Aging spoke about why they support the passage of the Parent Protection Act (HB 37). There was a news crew there from the "Lawmakers" program on Georgia Public Broadcasting, so check it out tonight at 7pm on channel 8!

Stay tuned to the blog next week... I'll post videos from today's press conference, as well as from the 2/13 minimum wage press conference and a presentation to Masters of Social Work students, that was also featured on "Lawmakers" last month!

just in time for Valentine's Day....

Show your Server some Love

Sponsored by the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition

Join us in support of restoring the minimum wage for tipped workers (currently $2.13/hr) to 60% of the minimum wage.

Where: Danneman’s Coffee Shop
466 Edgewood Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30312
Map

When: Friday, February 13th (2/13!)
11:00 A.M.



Reasons to come (according to Anni):
1. Women like you will speak in support of raising the minimum wage for tipped workers! You'll hear about their experiences working for minimum wage - and you might be surprised by what they have to say!
2. Support a local business! Danneman's website boasts "great local micro-roasted coffee" and "good... food at moderate prices," as well as well as a space featuring "tall ceilings, handsome woodwork, large vintage windows, and midcentury furnishings such as lab tables and Navy chairs." Come check it out! (For more information: www.dannemans com.)



To view a flier with more information about this event, please visit the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition website.

How do you feel about the new stimulus plan??

Our U.S. Congress is working on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The House has already passed the stimulus plan and the Senate will soon be voting. If passed, some of the money will come to the state of Georgia, to some of our cities and also some school districts.

Locally, ten cities in Georgia have requested almost 3 billion dollars from the plan, including Atlanta, Alpharetta, Marietta, Acworth, and Athens. Proposed projects would put money into repairing old infrastructure and building new that could possibly add 30,000-40,000 jobs in Atlanta region alone. Also a priority to Atlanta is public safety, including hiring more police officers. Mayor Shirley Franklin states that “this is important to the city, to the state and important to the national economy.”

Meanwhile, Rep. John Lewis, who supports the stimulus plan, states on his website that the bill offers tax cuts to 95% of Americans and that the funds will go to increasing Pell grants, infrastructure, lowered healthcare costs thru technology upgrade as well as many other programs. His website shows as much as $8 billion as being requested to aid in projects such as Head Start; employment training for adults, youth and dislocated workers; Low-Income Home Energy Assistance; elderly services; the Food Stamps Program; and Medicaid.

Critics, however, look at this as increased government spending and increasing to our debt, rather than helping it. They urge for continued stimulus to the private sector rather than government programs. Adding to public criticism is the failure to pay taxes by several of President Obama’s administration choices including Tom Daschle.

Meanwhile, the news reports today that employers have slashed another 598,000 jobs in January - pushing the unemployment rate up to 7.6 percent!! According to CNNMoney, the latest job loss is the worst since December 1974, and brings job losses to 1.8 million in just the last three months. Economists project continued losses and economic downturn in 2009.
President Obama has said that the American people called for change in November and “that's what we're going to deliver”. How do you feel about the new stimulus package? Do you support it or oppose it? Have you contacted your legislators about your views? Share with us, but also don’t forget to share with your US Senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, as well as your district House and Senate reps. You can find how to contact them at www.votesmart.org.

Want to be a Citizen Lobbyist?

Have you heard of Women in the Halls? This program, sponsored by Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Georgia, brings women to the capitol every week during the legislative session to tell their state Congresspeople about their concerns, needs, and ideas. Direct communication with your legislators is an important way to hold them accountable to the needs of Georgia's women and families.

Have you ever wanted to be a Citizen Lobbyist? 9to5 encourages all of our members to contact their legislators about working women's issues on a regular basis -- here's a chance to do it directly! The Women in the Halls program takes place every Wednesday at 9am during the legislative session (from now until the beginning of April) and anyone can join! Meet in room 306 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, right across the street from the Capitol building on Mitchell Street. Training and information about lobbying will be provided on-site.

For more information about Women in the Halls, as well as contact information for the program coordinators, please visit the Women in the Halls website.


ALSO, PLEASE NOTE:
Through Women in the Halls, members of the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition and the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative will be lobbying our legislators to raised the minimum wage and pass the Parent Protection Act!

Minimum Wage Day: Wednesday, March 4th
Parent Protection Act Day: Wednesday, March 11th

Stay tuned for more information about how you can get involved with 9to5's activities at these two lobby days, or contact our office for more information!

Can Georgia do more for working families?

9to5 is a leading member of the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative -- a statewide coalition of organizations working to pass the Parent Protection Act (HB 37). This act would give Georgia workers 24-hours each year of unpaid leave to take care of family obligations, such as registering children for school and taking children, a spouse, or an elderly relative to routine medical appointments. Sounds simple enough, right? But currently in Georgia, which is an at-will employment state, many workers could face penalties at work (including termination!) if they take off work for these reasons.

Take 9to5 member Vickie, for example. After working for more than 20 years at the same printing plant in Atlanta, she lost her job because she refused to work three hours of "mandatory overtime" after completing her regular eight hour shift. Vickie refused overtime because that was the only day she could register her children for the upcoming school year and for the after-school program they attended until she got off work.

If the Parent Protection Act becomes law, working mothers like Vickie would be guaranteed time off -- at no cost to employers! -- to take care of necessary family responsibilities.


TAKE ACTION NOW!
Tell your state representative to support working families by passing HB 37! Tell them your story! Find contact information for your legislator here. (Just enter your zip code in the box on the left and then click on "current officials." This bill is currently in the Georgia House of Representatives, so contact your Georgia Representative.)


To find out more about the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative, to join the coalition, or to see a sample letter to send to your legislator, please visit our website or send us an email at gajobfamily@yahoo.com.

The minimum wage - is it enough?

When I was born in 1968, the minimum wage was $1.68. Doesn’t seem like much, but its value in today’s dollar is equal to $10.26! At my first job as a housekeeper at a hotel, I earned the minimum wage. I was still in high school, but I maintained this job on weekends and throughout the summers in order to save for college and pay for gas. This was in 1985 and the minimum wage was $3.35. At the time, the purchasing power of my hourly wage was the equivalence of $6.61 today, which is on par with the current Federal minimum wage of $6.55. Since the time of my birth to my first job, the purchasing power of working Americans has decreased significantly, but since the time of my first job, another 20 years has passed and the value of the minimum wage has basically remained unchanged.

Let’s do more math. (C'mon, it's not so bad!) A full-time worker making $6.55 an hour takes in $262 a week, before taxes - for an annual salary of $13,000! Let me type that again - $13,000!!!!!! Add to this that the majority of minimum wage earners do not have access to healthcare benefits at work, or even paid sick days. The sad fact remains that a large percentage of minimum wage workers are no longer teenagers at their first job, but are heads of households, many of them single mothers. Kind of makes you wonder how, on one hand, we can see so much progress within our nation, and on the other, we are frozen in time, if not moving backwards. How do you feel about this?

Share with us your first job, first hourly wage, and what you think the minimum wage should be at this point in time for a working member of society to take care of herself and a family?

May I please speak to.......?

I attended an event this morning with House Representative Stacey Abrams, District 84, and House Representative Kathy Ashe, District 56. They took the time to speak about issues important to Atlanta and the State of Georgia , including pending budget cuts to public education and social service programs that could drastically impact thousands of women and children in Georgia. They sent a message today and asked that we, as voters and residents of this state, contact our State Representatives and Senators about the State Budget. We need to demand that social supports not be cut at a time when thousands of families are in great need for economic assistance. Urge the Governor to find solutions that do not impact these already vulnerable populations!


Representative Ashe mentioned that when cuts to PeachCare were being discussed, she received only 5 contacts regarding the issue, however, after the media explosion of Michael Vick's dog fighting charges, she received 973 emails and phone calls! While both issues have merit and importance (I love and adore animals), it surprises me how many people aren't contacting their government officials on issues that affect the welfare of our children. Are we too busy? Do we feel it's the responsibility of others? Do we not know how or what to say?


Both women urged us to call not only our own district Representatives and Senators, but also those in other parts of the state who are members of committees with first access to the bills and issues being introduced. Committees include Children and Youth, Health and Human Services, Education, and Industrial Relations. Yes, it can be confusing - what do all of these committees do? But if you need assistance, 9to5 is always here to help and remind you of how you can take action. Both women said that if they receive at least 5 calls or emails about an issue, it become a hot button. So imagine what 973 calls can do! And they have asked us to hold them accountable for their votes. They advise us to talk to the media, write op-ed pieces, and to even embarrass them when they have not done their job! We should also remember to commend them for the work they do.

I have made contact with my district representatives. I was able to speak to my senator over the phone, and Representative Mary Margaret Oliver took time to email with me and even speak to me at the Capitol. Here's a few questions for you? Do you know who your House Rep and Senator are for your district? Have you ever contacted them? If so, what happened? Did you get a response? Share your experiences with us!