Victory in California for ‘Fight for 15’ union campaign to raise minimum wage

In by far the biggest victory yet for the movement to boost pay for low-wage workers, California lawmakers have announced an agreement to raise the state’s minimum wage to USD 15 an hour by 2022. More than 5.6 million Californians – over 32 percent of the state’s workforce – are expected to benefit from the increase. Similar initiatives are also advancing in New York, Washington DC and New Jersey, demonstrating the significant impact of the union-backed campaign.   
The fight to raise the minimum wage, spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union with young and minority low-wage workers at the forefront, has already brought important successes in California: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, San Francisco, Oakland and San Diego have all set a USD 15 wage in recent years. Initiatives are also advancing in New York, Washington DC and New Jersey, demonstrating the national impact of the ‘fight for 15’, which has also strongly influenced the Democratic presidential race.   

“The victory in California shows us that we need to keep on marching, keep on speaking out and keep on sticking together until we win $15 everywhere,” said Terrence Wise, a McDonald’s and Burger King worker in Kansas City and a leader of the campaign.