The presidential and Senate elections were the headlines on Tuesday and through the rest of the week, but it’s worth noting a few key places where voters said yes to ballot measures making life a little better for working families. In Florida, voters passed a $15 minimum wage amendment. It phases in very slowly, not reaching $15 until 2026, but it’s progress. If you’re wondering WTF is going on with more than 60% support for a minimum wage increase while Donald Trump won the state, welcome to Florida. The state’s voters did the exact same thing in 2004, voting for George W. Bush and a minimum wage increase.
Colorado voters passed paid family leave. The state legislature had failed to pass such a bill, so organizers took it to the voters, and won. The law, which doesn’t go into effect until 2024, will provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave at between 65% and 90% of their pay, up to $1,100 per week. It’s funded by a payroll tax.
And Arizona voters approved a tax on high-income households that will raise hundreds of millions of dollars for education. That comes after Arizona teachers went on strike for school funding in 2018.
● In Brookline, Massachusetts, 915 out of 1,000 teachers held a sick-out over COVID-19 safety precautions. They want a promise of six feet of social distance written into a memorandum of understanding with the school district, which initially seemed to agree but then moved the superintendent the power to unilaterally change that precaution.
● It’s looking like somewhat less of a danger now, but quite a few unions were ready to stage a general strike if Donald Trump tried to steal the election.
● Heidi Shierholz details what the next president inherits.
●
● I’m a firm member of Team Biden-Wasn’t-My-First-Choice, but this is worth considering:
from Daily Kos https://ift.tt/2I9os1H
No comments:
Post a Comment