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For five years, the Working Families Party has pushed for a raise in the
state minimum wage. This year, we hope, will be the last year (for a while)
we have to do this. Victory is by no means assured, but we are modestly
optimistic about our chances of passing the bill by June.
A quick word on the details.
The bill will raise the state's minimum from $5.15 to $7.10 (in two years time). That is still too low, but it's a good step. To move from $11,000 per year to $14,000 per year may not seem like a lot, unless you're the one making 11K.
Right now about 700,000 New Yorkers earn less than $7.10 per hour. That's about one in eleven workers. The vast majority (76%) are adults, and those who are teenagers are almost always contributing to family budgets.
Attached is a marvelous piece from The Daily News on a Dunkin' Donuts worker who clearly hopes that we win. The next time you're in a low-wage joint, tell the employees about the "$5.15 Is Not Enough" campaign and encourage them to check it out via the www.workingfamiliesparty.org website.
Look for more on this after the Spring legislative recess. In the meantime, there's a lot of great press coverage on the website. Check it out, spread it around.
SPRING FUNDRAISER
Our annual fundraiser is just two weeks away, on April 15th (as the New York Post will no doubt editorialize in its next denunciation of the WFP, "The party that wants to raise taxes on the rich has of course chosen Tax Day for their annual gala.").
We plead guilty. We want their money (for schools ) and your money (for the party). It'll be a lot of fun, so if you're in NYC area and can afford a ticket, please join us. Click here for details. (http://www.workingfamiliesparty.org/involved/April2004Event.html)
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS
You can check out the results of the WFP Presidential Poll on the website. The results are fascinating -- less for the candidate results than the comments from participants and the questions on issues and trust. In June we will make our formal endorsement of John Kerry. And, the WFP Executive Committee is preparing a statement on Ralph Nader's candidacy that will call on Ralph to withdraw from the race. You'll find it - where else, on our website.
WFP STATE CONVENTION, JUNE 5-6, ALBANY
A thousand-plus WFP members will meet in Albany on Saturday-Sunday, June 5-6. If you are a paid-up member of the party, you are strongly encouraged to come. This happens only once every four years, and will include guest speakers, workshops, a mass action and plenty of time to schmooze in the hallway. So, try to be there. Write to amyblair@workingfamiliesparty.org if you are interested in knowing more about the Convention.
2003 ANNUAL REPORT
The party's Policy and Communications department has produced a terrific report on 2003. Download it (you can guess from where). Once you read it, you will understand why the New York Sun called us the "muscular new kid on the block of New York's politics."
In reality, there's a long, long way to go to making that boast come true. But our progress is real and our passion is undiminished. We hope you take pride in what the WFP has achieved in its short life, and that you stay involved in the months and years to come. There's no way that we will get where we need to go without you.
That's it. Read the papers, pay your dues, and.organize.
Jim Duncan, Bertha Lewis, and Bob Master
WFP Co-Chairs
Dan Cantor
WFP Executive Director
www.workingfamiliesparty.org
[Here's the link to the Daily News "Dunkin' Donuts" story mentioned above: www.nydailynews.com/front/story/175844p-152992c.html ]
A quick word on the details.
The bill will raise the state's minimum from $5.15 to $7.10 (in two years time). That is still too low, but it's a good step. To move from $11,000 per year to $14,000 per year may not seem like a lot, unless you're the one making 11K.
Right now about 700,000 New Yorkers earn less than $7.10 per hour. That's about one in eleven workers. The vast majority (76%) are adults, and those who are teenagers are almost always contributing to family budgets.
Attached is a marvelous piece from The Daily News on a Dunkin' Donuts worker who clearly hopes that we win. The next time you're in a low-wage joint, tell the employees about the "$5.15 Is Not Enough" campaign and encourage them to check it out via the www.workingfamiliesparty.org website.
Look for more on this after the Spring legislative recess. In the meantime, there's a lot of great press coverage on the website. Check it out, spread it around.
SPRING FUNDRAISER
Our annual fundraiser is just two weeks away, on April 15th (as the New York Post will no doubt editorialize in its next denunciation of the WFP, "The party that wants to raise taxes on the rich has of course chosen Tax Day for their annual gala.").
We plead guilty. We want their money (for schools ) and your money (for the party). It'll be a lot of fun, so if you're in NYC area and can afford a ticket, please join us. Click here for details. (http://www.workingfamiliesparty.org/involved/April2004Event.html)
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS
You can check out the results of the WFP Presidential Poll on the website. The results are fascinating -- less for the candidate results than the comments from participants and the questions on issues and trust. In June we will make our formal endorsement of John Kerry. And, the WFP Executive Committee is preparing a statement on Ralph Nader's candidacy that will call on Ralph to withdraw from the race. You'll find it - where else, on our website.
WFP STATE CONVENTION, JUNE 5-6, ALBANY
A thousand-plus WFP members will meet in Albany on Saturday-Sunday, June 5-6. If you are a paid-up member of the party, you are strongly encouraged to come. This happens only once every four years, and will include guest speakers, workshops, a mass action and plenty of time to schmooze in the hallway. So, try to be there. Write to amyblair@workingfamiliesparty.org if you are interested in knowing more about the Convention.
2003 ANNUAL REPORT
The party's Policy and Communications department has produced a terrific report on 2003. Download it (you can guess from where). Once you read it, you will understand why the New York Sun called us the "muscular new kid on the block of New York's politics."
In reality, there's a long, long way to go to making that boast come true. But our progress is real and our passion is undiminished. We hope you take pride in what the WFP has achieved in its short life, and that you stay involved in the months and years to come. There's no way that we will get where we need to go without you.
That's it. Read the papers, pay your dues, and.organize.
Jim Duncan, Bertha Lewis, and Bob Master
WFP Co-Chairs
Dan Cantor
WFP Executive Director
www.workingfamiliesparty.org
[Here's the link to the Daily News "Dunkin' Donuts" story mentioned above: www.nydailynews.com/front/story/175844p-152992c.html ]