Another Way to Raise the Minimum Wage—and Solidarity—in Arizona

by James Parks, Mar 10, 2006

These updates come from Dana Kennedy at the Arizona AFL-CIO: 

Republican leaders at the state Capitol refuse to consider legislation aimed at raising the minimum wage in Arizona. Four different bills were introduced this session which, if passed, would raise Arizona’s minimum wage to $7.10 per hour. Each bill was referred to two separate committees, a move lawmakers often use to stall a bill they don’t want to consider. Not one of the four bills has had an initial hearing in any of the committees which they were referred to.
 
This issue may be ignored at the legislature, but it will not be kept from voters. The Arizona AFL-CIO has introduced the Raise the Minimum Wage for Working Arizonans Act, an initiative that will let our voters decide the issue. The legislature has not raised Arizona’s minimum wage since 1996. Hard-working families cannot wait for lawmakers anymore; this act will be on the ballot this year.

Arizona’s minimum wage follows the federal level of $5.15.  To get the initiative on the ballot for November, supporters must get more than 120,000 signatures on a petition, says Arizona AFL-CIO President Rebekah Friend. 
 
Another update from Dana about solidarity in Arizona:

When the members of the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO met last week, they discussed the enormous success of the AFL-CIO Solidarity Charters, which have allowed locals of disaffiliated union to remain united with the Arizona AFL-CIO.  The unions that receive the Solidarity Charters still have the same rights and obligations as other affiliated local unions, including participation in governance and affairs of the state or local body, eligibility of their members to run for and hold office in the state or local body and the status and treatment of their members within the state and local body. All of this is fantastic news in Arizona. We are proud to announce that the following unions have applied for and been approved for the Solidarity Charters: IBT 104, UFCW 99, Unite-HERE 631, BLE 123 and BMWE 2417.  SEIU has applied for a Solidarity Charter and is awaiting approval,  and we are in the process of working on other local unions in the state.

Congratulations, Arizona AFL-CIO.

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