Oakland labor organizers are taking a big swing at East Bay paychecks. A coalition of Oakland and Alameda County community and labor groups has filed a ballot initiative to raise the countywide minimum wage to $30 an hour, arguing that current pay rates are nowhere near enough to keep up with local living costs. If the measure qualifies, Alameda County voters would be asked to approve one of the region’s most aggressive local minimum wages.
What organizers are pushing for
The “Oakland and Alameda County Living Wage for All” campaign says its proposal would set a $30 per hour minimum for covered workers, phased in over time based on employer size and revenue. Under the measure, large employers with more than 100 employees and at least $100 million in revenue would have to reach the $30 mark by 2030. The smallest businesses, those with fewer than 25 workers, would have as long as 10 years to fully phase in the increase.
The coalition filed its paperwork on Thursday to kick off the ballot effort, according to NBC Bay Area.
Why backers say $30 is the line in the sand…