Everett is a city of working families. Even for a relatively affordable city like Everett, the cost of living crisis is here. Everett families need a living wage. That is why I support and canvass for Initiative 24-01, “Everett Deserves a Raise.” Initiative 24-01 will raise the minimum wage in Everett from $16.28 per hour to $20.24 per hour.
Initiative 24-01 also ensures that tips and other compensation are not counted toward the minimum wage; a trick food service employers have used to justify not paying the full minimum wage.
This closing of abusive loopholes has deeply upset the Washington Hospitality Association, Scuttlebutt Brewing, the Beverage Association, and several other food service industry cabals. These groups have decided to band together to fight initiative 24-01 through an undercutting and astroturfed counter initiative 24-02, “Raise the Wage Responsibly.”
Initiative 24-02, is intentionally deceptive. It appears nearly identical to 24-01 except that it allows for the inclusion of tips in the minimum wage, treats franchises as small businesses, and undercuts some of the enforcement and compliance provisions that are inconvenient for the employer.
The authors of initiative 24-02 don’t want to see the wage raised at all, they would not have separately submitted their initiative in a world where 24-01 didn’t already exist.
Vote for Initiative 24-01, backed by community organizers and local labor.
Vote against initiative 24-02, the undermining corporate backed copycat.
Hayden Jones
Everett
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
