Local labor leaders hailed the vote Tuesday by the DC City Council, which unanimously approved an increase to the District’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020, joining California, New York, Seattle and other states and cities that have already approved $15-dollar wage floors. SEIU 32BJ Vice President Jaime Contreras said that “The Mayor and D.C. Council members are setting an example for the nation to follow by pushing one of the nation’s highest minimum wages to help dig men and women out of poverty.” And Metro Council Executive Director Carlos Jimenez said that "Everyone who works for a living in D.C. ought to be able to make a living in the District," noting that "As a result of this proposed legislation, more than 100,000 working people would see their wages increase."
On today's "Your Rights at Work" show, we'll chat with Katie Corrigan-- AFL-CIO Assistant to the Secretary-Treasurer -- about the economics of the work-life conflict. That's from 1 to 2pm here on WPFW. For the latest local labor calendar, go to dclabor.org and click on Calendar. Here’s today's labor history: On this date in 1865, Helen Marot ("Ma-Ro") was born in Philadelphia to a wealthy family. She went on to organize the Bookkeepers, Stenographers and Accountants Union in New York, and to organize and lead the city's 1909 Shirtwaist Strike. In 1912, she was a member of a commission investigating the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Today’s labor quote is by Helen Marot "The labor unions are group efforts in the direction of democracy. Like the political efforts in the same direction, they become many times stultified and lead up blind alleys. But the effort creates power. While the economic gains are themselves important and are measures of strength, the significance of the labor union is its assertion of the manhood of labor."
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