SEIU members who collected minimum wage petitions. From left: nursing home worker Susana Fragoso; and DORS PA workers Retona Wilson; Yvette Anderson; Theresa Williams, and James Scott.

(December 18, 2013) — SEIU Healthcare Illinois members who collected thousands of minimum wage petitions, received a heartfelt thanks from Governor Pat Quinn who passionately called for giving low-wage workers better wages to stem the income inequality crisis.

Governor Quinn spoke at a press event held at Saint Pius Church on Ashland Ave. in Chicago to make the case that Illinois must raise the minimum wage.  Standing alongside him in the photo, (from left) was nursing home worker Susana Fragoso; and Department of Rehabilitative Service (DORS) personal assistants Retona Wilson; Yvette Anderson; Theresa Williams, and James Scott.

Gov. Quinn’s speech came only two days after working families and community groups delivered petitions to the Chicago Board of Elections today to place a non-binding advisory referendum on the March ballot to establish a city minimum wage.

See the press release below from our coalition partners below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: scott.vogel@seiuhcil.org

(December 18, 2013, Chicago) – Governor Pat Quinn spoke today at Saint Pius Church in Chicago and gave a forceful and passionate plea to lift the minimum wage in Illinois on behalf of low-income workers and struggling families.  Governor Quinn spoke about the need to tackle the growing poverty and income inequality crisis by paying workers better wages.

In response, Raise Illinois, a statewide coalition working to increase the state’s minimum wage, issued the following statement:

The Raise Illinois coalition applauds Governor Quinn’s remarks today in support of raising the minimum wage.  Low-wage workers simply cannot survive on $8.25 an hour.

Governor Quinn’s speech today called for urgent action in Springfield to give workers the improved wages they need to afford basic necessities.

Low-wage workers are not alone in this fight. They are joining together with working and middle class families, community leaders, and interfaith partners to say that working people simply cannot survive on poverty wages anymore. This movement is clearly expanding and the demands for change in Illinois will only continue to grow.

Governor Quinn correctly noted that raising the minimum wage would strengthen our state economy, fight job loss, and help small businesses by putting more money in the pockets of consumers. It is estimated that raising the minimum wage to $10.65 per hour would inject a net of $2.5 billion into our economy.

Today it was made clear that minimum wage workers need their leaders to take swift action to solve Illinois’ inequality crisis.

Over 71% of Illinois voters support raising the minimum wage. It’s time for the state legislature to listen to what the people want and pass a bill to raise the minimum wage.

Raise Illinois is led by a coalition of community, business, faith, and labor organizations along with low-wage workers and families that are fighting to raise the minimum wage in Illinois.  Raise Illinois is a major legislative and grassroots campaign to increase Illinois’ minimum wage from the current $8.25 to $10.65 per hour. www.raiseillinois.com

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