Activists stop in Worcester, push $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave

March 21--WORCESTER -- Activists on a statewide "briefing tour" stopped at Belmont A.M.E. Zion Church on Illinois Street Tuesday night to show members of the legislative delegation their continued commitment to raising the minimum wage and providing paid family and medical leave.

Organized by Raise Up Massachusetts, the briefing featured testimony from workers and families who would benefit from raising the minimum wage in the state from $11 an hour to $15 an hour, and who would be able to take advantage of a paid family and medical leave insurance program.

State Senate President Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester, was joined on a panel by state Reps. Daniel Donahue, James O'Day, Mary Keefe and Natalie Higgins, all Democrats.

All the lawmakers supported raising the minimum wage and creating the family and medical leave provisions. Mr. Donahue said he also opposed "carve-outs" that would exempt teen and sub-minimum wage workers that make most of their wages from tips. Ms. Keefe also supported having the $15 minimum wage include young workers. She said many young workers aren't just frivolously spending their earnings.

"We hear how much it means for their families," Ms. Keefe said.

Ms. Chandler said she continues to support the efforts to raise the minimum wage. She said the economy -- and the country -- works best when all its people can meet their basic needs. Eleven dollars an hour "is not good enough," Ms. Chandler said. She said she believes there's an opportunity this legislative session to address both issues, which would keep the measures off the November ballot. If the Legislature can't pass bills before a June deadline, supporters must collect another 11,000 signatures to get on the ballot, according to Raise Up Massachusetts.

Derrick Mathieu and Nicole Brunelle of Paxton are expecting their first child soon. They said they would like to not have to use all their sick time and vacation time to stay home with the baby. Mr. Mathieu said he could stay home for up to three months, which he said would be a great opportunity to bond with his new child. But he said he can't afford it without paid family leave.

Laura Fisher, owner of Fisher Agencies, a life insurance company, said paying workers a living wage ensures low turnover and good morale. She said all her full-time staff members make at least $15 an hour, including entry-level positions. When people make a decent wage, their heads are in the right place at work, Ms. Fisher said.

According to Raise Up Massachusetts, legislation currently proposed would raise the minimum wage from $11 to $15 by $1 per year over four years. After 2022, it would be adjusted each year to rise with the cost of living.

The passage of paid leave legislation would provide 12 or 16 weeks of job-protected paid leave to care for a seriously ill or injured family member, to care for a new child, or to meet family needs arising from a family member's active duty military service. The legislation would provide up to 26 weeks of job-protected paid leave to recover from a worker's own serious illness or injury, or to care for a seriously ill or injured service member. There are provisions in the proposed legislation guarding against employer retaliation, and would be funded through employer contributions to a newly established trust fund. Employers could require employees to contribute up to 50 percent of the trust fund contributions, according to Raise Up.

Ms. Keefe said it's important that people at the briefing return to their communities to rally support for the legislation. She said it's also important that supporters reach out beyond Central Mass. to parts of the state where there isn't currently a groundswell of support for the bills.

"Keep talking it up," Ms. Keefe said.

___

(c)2018 Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, Mass.

Visit Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, Mass. at www.telegram.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.