Seattle City Council unanimously approved a resolution to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour on June 2 and Mayor Ed Murray signed the bill on June 3. A year ago, this occurrence would have seemed a fantasy. Did this bill pass happen because the members of Seattle’s City Council are so much more enlightened than politicians in other cities?
What happened to make this possible? The most important factor was mass organizing. A year ago, fast food workers began their walkouts for $15 an hour, an end to wage theft and the right to organize without retaliation. At about the same time, Socialist Alternative member Kshama Sawant began her campaign for City Council. Her campaign focused on the $15 wage and drew enthusiastic grassroots support. Once elected, Sawant organized from within City Council, while also collaborating with the new mass organization, $15 Now, to continue to keep the attention on the issue of income inequality.
At the same time, the newly elected mayor Murray sought to defuse the militant sentiment for $15 by appointing a committee on income inequality that came out with a compromise proposal that included a lengthy phase in, tip credit, total compensation and defined small business as being under 500 employees. It was this proposal that was passed into law June 2, despite the efforts of Sawant to strike those elements from the bill.
Meanwhile, capitalists are crying foul. The International Franchise Association announced it would file a lawsuit against the city claiming discrimination because franchise restaurants are being counted as big businesses for the purpose of the ordinance. The claim of discrimination is laughable given that franchise restaurant owners are notorious for wage theft. The anti-discriminatory sensitivities of franchise owners are only engaged when workers stand up for a living wage and thus threaten their profits.
Other capitalists are pouting, whining and threatening to raise prices or cut jobs. However, raising the minimum wage is unlikely to result in higher prices or job loss.
Some local small businesses are even celebrating the increase, anticipating that an uptick in disposable income among low-wage workers will drive increased sales.
All in all, the passage of this ordinance was a victory for the struggle of low wage workers. “We did this. Workers did this. Today’s first victory for 15 will inspire people all over the nation,” concluded Sawant.
