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Winning $15 in Seattle – A Socialist Strategy
Socialist Alternative ^ | 3/27/14 | Patrick Ayers

Posted on 03/29/2014 9:12:48 PM PDT by Libloather

“Onto the ballot – into the streets.” That’s the headline for the next big moment for 15 Now – a conference on April 26 to kick-off a mass campaign in Seattle to collect 50,000 signatures for a robust $15 minimum wage ballot initiative. Whether or not 15 Now will file those signatures in June, triggering a popular vote on November 4, depends on whether the City Council passes a real $15 minimum wage ordinance and will be decided by a democratic 15 Now conference in June.

The credible threat of a winnable ballot initiative is the best tool – under the current conditions of a weak union movement and a historically low level of strikes – that working people have to push back attempts by big business and politicians to dramatically water down any effort for a $15/hr minimum wage. The April 26 Conference aims to launch dozens of new local 15 Now Action Groups as the basis for a powerful mass movement to, if necessary, overcome the millions big business will pour in to defeat a ballot initiative.

Kshama Sawant, Seattle’s Socialist Alternative city councilmember, used the recent “March for $15 on March 15” to help mobilize for the April 26 Conference and put forward a new proposal for winning $15 in Seattle this year. Below is the thinking and strategy of Socialist Alternative.

(Excerpt) Read more at socialistalternative.org ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: sawant; seattle; socialist; wage
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Some right-wing business leaders are still openly opposing any increase in the minimum wage and loudly complaining that Seattle’s political establishment seems to be following the lead of a socialist!

Sounds about right.

1 posted on 03/29/2014 9:12:48 PM PDT by Libloather
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To: Libloather
it they get a $6 an hr raise for doing nothing and having no skills, can I also get a $6 raise for my rather difficult job requiring education and skill and stamina?...

let the inflation in wages begin!

2 posted on 03/29/2014 9:19:27 PM PDT by cherry
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To: Libloather

There is a small city south of Seattle whose claim to fame is the international airport (SEATAC). They ran a $15/hr initiative and it succeeded. The only thing is that it doesn’t apply to the airport and the attendant airfreight businesses aren’t impacted. So it was symbolic and little else - except that it got the $15/hr wage foot in the door.


3 posted on 03/29/2014 9:21:52 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: Libloather

Patrick Ayers

Related to Bill?


4 posted on 03/29/2014 9:38:37 PM PDT by stormhill
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To: Libloather

Only 15 hourly? That is so limiting.


5 posted on 03/29/2014 9:42:07 PM PDT by bigfootbob
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To: cherry

That is the entire point. Most union contracts have wages tied to the minimum wage. IE: X position pays 2.5X’s minimum wage.

If a guy is making 2.5X’s minimum with $7.75 as minimum he makes 19.38 and hour. When the minimum is $15 the same union worker makes $37.5 HR. So it is all about greasing the union palms. Many of which are government workers.


6 posted on 03/29/2014 9:54:53 PM PDT by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: Libloather

Why stop at $15? Why not make it $3000 an hour?


7 posted on 03/29/2014 9:57:59 PM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: Libloather

I’m blissfully insulated from Seattle craziness by the Puget Sound to the east of me, but even if it were easier to get there I would seldom go. I just have nothing in common with anybody I’ve ever run into over there, and they’ve made of the city an absolute joke.

This will be another reason not to go, given that many businesses are already talking of packing up or shutting down if this goes through. Anyone with any sense moved over to the much more business-friendly Bellevue long ago anyway.

Some charismatic woman of Third-World color - forget her name - just elected to the oh-so-socialist city counsel, has been endlessly spouting the usual unrealistic Communist talking points to anyone stupid enough to listen, and in Seattle they’re mostly all stupid enough.

Hope the place shuts down. Port activity can go to Tacoma, traffic north-south can take I-405 around the downtown, and the Lefties can all just rot as far as I’m concerned. Maybe a sizable portion will move back where they came from and ruin somewhere else for a while.


8 posted on 03/29/2014 10:16:29 PM PDT by dagogo redux
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To: bigfootbob

cheapskates. why not win50 now?


9 posted on 03/29/2014 10:31:51 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Libloather

Cheap bastards. In Seattle, you’s need $25 an hour to make a decent living.


10 posted on 03/29/2014 11:05:44 PM PDT by Dapper 26
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To: cherry

The wage inflation serves the unions who pin their wages on the minimum wage. Thus, the increase in union dues puts money in the campaign war chest for the Marxist unions. Little does anyone realize that the increase in wages will cause a corresponding increase in prices.

Because state workers will have their union wages increased with the minimum wage increase, the cost of government will increase. That will require higher taxes.

Meanwhile, over-taxed mom and pop cannot get junior out of the house. Junior can’t take the first step towards self-sufficiency because no one is willing to pay $15 an hour to an unskilled worker.

I suppose the best solution would be for government to encourage economic growth. A better economy would boost worker wages, bring in more tax revenue and get junior out of the house.


11 posted on 03/29/2014 11:15:21 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The opium of Communists: other people's money.)
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To: Libloather
I plan to support the $15-hour initiative.

However, I live east of Seattle, across Lake Washington, so I guess I can't sign the petition or vote for it.

Why am I supporting it?

Mass Immigration - and the mass political destruction it has caused for American Conservatives.

I am going to stick my finger right in the eye of Corporate America, the RINO’s, and the neo-Cons who have been calling me a racist for the last 20 years.

You want foreign labor?

All You Can Eat, Baby!

Except now they are going to cost you $15-hour!

12 posted on 03/29/2014 11:21:07 PM PDT by zeestephen
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To: Libloather

It’s all about finding something to get voter turnout. Turn the tides, or so they hope. If this happens, it will work well and they know it.


13 posted on 03/29/2014 11:26:28 PM PDT by GizzyGirl
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To: Libloather

I notice that Miss Comrade Yabadabado isn’t out there in Shonomish County trying the help rescue the Mud Slide victims.

Guess they are too bourgeoise and white for her.

Meanwhile back on the extortion line....


14 posted on 03/30/2014 2:07:10 AM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: Libloather

Seattle is a perfect place to test basic economics. Let ‘em raise the minimum wage to $30 per hour, and pass around some popcorn.


15 posted on 03/30/2014 3:19:07 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: <1/1,000,000th%
Why stop at $15? Why not make it $3000 an hour?

It'll get there...





16 posted on 03/30/2014 3:56:10 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: bigfootbob

So lets assume for a moment that these numbnuts are working, do the realize that now they may have to find another part time job to add to the 4 they already have to break even with the original full time job they had before they got even more stupid than they were?


17 posted on 03/30/2014 4:18:06 AM PDT by ronnie raygun (Im missing a jumbo jet with 235 passengers has anyone seen it?)
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To: Libloather
I insist on the minimum wage being $1,258,384,284,995,838,394,594,392,904,490,939,020,492,203,2l3,438,293,504,382,392,384,284,995,838,394,594,392,904,490,939,020,492,203,2l3,438,293,504,382,392,384,284,995,838,394, 594,392,904,490,939,020,492,203,2l3,438,293,504,382,392,384,284,995,838,394,594,392,904,490,939,020,492,203,2l3,438,293,504,382,392,384,284,995,838,394,594,392,904,490,939,020, 492,203,2l3,438,293,504,382,392.91 a picosecond.

Anyone who objects is a racist.

18 posted on 03/30/2014 4:34:33 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)
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To: Lazamataz

Depending on how long it took to write that post you would have gotten paid between 10^301 to 10^302 dollars. We’ll need to print some more 100’s.


19 posted on 03/30/2014 5:33:19 AM PDT by palmer (There's someone in my lead but it's not me)
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To: palmer
We’ll need to print some more 100’s.

You are prosecuting a War on Women.

20 posted on 03/30/2014 5:49:58 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)
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