“Advancing paid sick days and raising the minimum wage boosts our families and our economy” [VIDEO]

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director of MomsRising.org, testifies before the Washington State House Commerce & Labor Committee on HB 1356 (paid sick and safe leave) and HB 1355 ($12/hour minimum wage), February 17, 2015:

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Mr. Chair, and members of the Committee, thank you for having me here today.

My name is Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner and I’m the Executive Director of MomsRising, which has over a million members nationwide, including 40,000 members here in WA.

I’m here today to share the voices of our members, moms of Washington, who know that advancing paid sick days and raising the minimum wage boosts our families and our economy.

For example, a MomsRising member, Barbara, shared that she didn’t have access to paid sick days so had to significantly delay taking her daughter, who had an ear ache, to the doctor. This delay resulted in her daughter having permanent hearing loss.

And, Christy shared: “When my two sons were young, I always had 2 or 3 jobs at minimum wage and we barely were able to make it. You have no idea how much that effected my kids from not getting the proper dental care or clothing when they needed it.”

Our families are in crisis and this crisis hurts our economy.

The astonishing fact is that nationally 80% of low wage workers don’t have a single paid sick day, and, women (including moms) comprise the majority of low-wage, minimum wage workers.

Fortunately, advancing paid sick days and increasing the minimum wage are win-win policies. In fact, studies show that they improve public health, family economic security, and boost our economy.

The truth of the matter is that our national economy takes a beating when workers have go to work sick due to a lack of paid sick days; costing us roughly $160 billion a year in lost productivity.

Studies also show that raising the minimum wage boosts our economy. In fact, nationally 140,000 new jobs would be created by raising the minimum wage, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says a raise in the minimum wage would help our economy by increasing household spending nationwide by about $48 billion.

In closing, win-win solutions are possible: Raising the minimum wage and advancing paid sick days boost our families and our economy. The moms, dads, sons and daughters of Washington are counting on you. It’s time.

Thank you for considering and advancing these important bills. Thank you.

“Unequal pay isn’t rare – it’s common and prevalent in all job sectors” [VIDEO]

Sandy Restrepo, a local attorney, testifies to the Washington State House Labor Committee in favor of the Equal Pay Opportunity Act (HB 1646), February 2, 2015:

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Hello my name is Sandy Restrepo and I’m here today to testify in support of HB 1646, the Equal Pay Opportunity Act.

As a mother, Latina and now lawyer, I have endured many hardships. As mentioned earlier, typically as a Latina I make 67 cents to every dollar a white man makes. I’m the first in my family to graduate college and first to pursue graduate degree. Throughout my studies, I have supported myself with low-paying jobs.

Between undergrad and law school, I accepted a position at a prestigious non-profit. Months into my new job, I learned that an equally qualified man was offered 20 percent more in salary than I was offered. I expected an organization that stood for justice would treat me fairly but unfortunately that was not the case. Unequal pay isn’t rare, it’s common and prevalent in all job sectors.

As an immigration attorney, I see all too often my clients earn significantly less because they are immigrants, women and/or don’t know their rights.

That’s why we need this legislation: to make sure this systemic injustice is eradicated.

“Family leave should never be a matter of luck.” [VIDEO]

Marilyn Watkins, Policy Director for the Economic Opportunity Institute, makes the case for family and medical leave insurance (House Bill 1273) to Washington state legislators (Jan. 29, 2015):

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Full testimony:

“Good morning. I’m Marilyn Watkins of the Economic Opportunity Institute.

It should never be a matter of luck whether a parent can afford to spend the first precious weeks and months of life with their newborn child.

It shouldn’t be a matter of luck whether someone can recover from surgery before dragging themselves back to work.

My mother died this past summer, one of Rep. Moeller’s constituents. She’d lived with breast cancer for 8 years, staying active and independent, then declined rapidly in her last month. My sister and I were fortunate to be able to take off work and nurse her at home. Our other 3 siblings were able to fly out for only a few days to see her one last time. If we hadn’t been there, mom would have had to spend her last weeks in a nursing facility. My father never could have done it on his own.

Caring for a dying parent shouldn’t be a matter of luck. Yet most workers only get a few days or weeks at most of paid leave.

5 states have provided disability and maternity leave insurance for all workers in their states for decades, and 3 of those states now have other forms of family leave as well.

Studies show these programs work:

  • Women in these 5 states are twice as likely to have paid leave after having a baby than women in other states, and they take longer leaves. Among women below 200% of the poverty level, use of paid leave tripled  in states with disability or family leave insurance.
  • New moms in these 5 states had fewer health complications and were more likely to return to work in the year following a birth and to have higher wages over time.
  • New fathers also take longer leaves – and that early bonding keeps them more involved in their children’s lives long term.
  • Researchers at the University of Washington estimate that the number of mothers and infants receiving TANF in Washington would decrease more than 13% with paid family and medical leave insurance.

With family and medical leave insurance, the state will save with elder care as well.

There’s nothing more important to our future than our children.  And building the health and economic security of our families will boost our whole state economy.

Please pass HB 1273. Thank you.”

Download/read Marilyn’s testimony here [PDF]