Voters in Olympia will decide this election whether they want to raise the city’s minimum wage and add new protections for workers.
Olympia currently follows the state’s minimum wage of $16.66 an hour, which is set to increase to $17.13 next year. But advocates and labor groups say that isn’t enough to keep up with the cost of living. They’re proposing Proposition 1 — also known as the “Worker’s Bill of Rights” — which would raise that to $20 for large employers. Small- and medium-sized businesses with less than 500 employees would have gradual phase-in periods.
Proposition 1 is backed by labor groups like the grocery store union UFCW 367. It follows a string of similar labor-backed initiatives that have raised the wage beyond the state requirement in other Puget Sound cities such as Burien, Renton and Everett in recent years.
“What we’re asking for is just enough to boost people up a little bit, put a couple more extra dollars in their pockets,” said Rob Richards, a campaign manager for the group backing the initiative.
The initiative also comes with a suite of new worker protections, including new rules around workplace safety and advanced notice for schedule changes. It would also require that large employers give existing employees priority for new available hours before hiring additional staff.
Opponents of the initiative argue that local employers won’t be able to handle the added regulations and increased wages and that the measure would deter businesses from coming to Olympia.
“It will cost jobs to the city, and it will cost our residents a higher price for paying more for goods and services,” said Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne.
Last week, a group of Olympia nonprofits put out an “impact statement” warning that the initiative would increase annual operating costs anywhere from $100,000 to $400,000, likely requiring increased program fees and impacts to staffing levels.
Roberts said he doesn’t think the nonprofits’ math adds up.
“Minimum wage has gone up in a lot of communities in Washington and across our country, and there haven’t been any mass closures of businesses and nonprofits,” Roberts said.
Payne said the “spirit” of Proposition 1 is good, but he thinks there are “a lot of things that are problematic in the details” that will ultimately hurt workers and businesses in Olympia. The initiative gives workers the right to sue employers if they think the rules were violated, which he worries could lead to community tension and an atmosphere where “community members are suing one another.”
“I see this as a business repellent for the city,” Payne said. “I do believe it will deter businesses from coming and wanting to operate in the City of Olympia.”
Roberts argued giving workers more money will act as a “stimulus for the local economy,” and that other Washington communities that adopted higher wages have seen positive outcomes. With uncertainty at the federal level and SNAP benefits set to stall soon because of the ongoing government shutdown, Roberts said it's more important than ever to “take action on a local level to protect people from bad times.”
“We can’t wait,” Roberts said. “People are struggling now.”
Efforts to raise the wage and strengthen worker protections are continuing to gain traction in other Washington cities. Advocates are currently gathering signatures for a wage increase in Lynnwood, and Tacoma voters will see a similar “Workers Bill of Rights” initiative on the February ballot.
All stories produced by Murrow Local News fellows can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. Image rights may vary. Contact editor@knkx.org for image use requests.
