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In Preemptive Strike, Oklahoma Bans Efforts to Increase Minimum Wage
Law signed by Gov. Mary Fallin thwarts local workers' rights initiatives
Apr 16, 2014
In a preemptive strike against local efforts to strengthen workers' rights, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin (R) on Tuesday signed into law a measure that forbids all cities and counties in the state from raising the minimum wage any higher than the current federal requirement of $7.25 an hour.
Further, the law bans all localities from requiring employers to provide sick days or vacation days, either paid or unpaid.
Critics of the law say it was a direct attack on grassroots efforts in Oklahoma City to put a $10.10 minimum wage on the November ballot.
Municipalities are leading the charge to raise the minimum wage, as federal calls to raise the wage to $10.10 have stalled. Advocates of a livable wage in Los Angeles are pushing for an increase to $15.37 an hour for hotel workers and in cities across the country the low-wage labor movement has been calling for the minimum wage to be raised to $15 dollars an hour.
Tim O'Connor, president of the Central Oklahoma Labor Federation, which is leading the Oklahoma City ballot drive, said that despite the new law the group will continue to collect signatures "until somebody tells us we can't."
"If anything this has given us more momentum," O'Connor told News OK.
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Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
In a preemptive strike against local efforts to strengthen workers' rights, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin (R) on Tuesday signed into law a measure that forbids all cities and counties in the state from raising the minimum wage any higher than the current federal requirement of $7.25 an hour.
Further, the law bans all localities from requiring employers to provide sick days or vacation days, either paid or unpaid.
Critics of the law say it was a direct attack on grassroots efforts in Oklahoma City to put a $10.10 minimum wage on the November ballot.
Municipalities are leading the charge to raise the minimum wage, as federal calls to raise the wage to $10.10 have stalled. Advocates of a livable wage in Los Angeles are pushing for an increase to $15.37 an hour for hotel workers and in cities across the country the low-wage labor movement has been calling for the minimum wage to be raised to $15 dollars an hour.
Tim O'Connor, president of the Central Oklahoma Labor Federation, which is leading the Oklahoma City ballot drive, said that despite the new law the group will continue to collect signatures "until somebody tells us we can't."
"If anything this has given us more momentum," O'Connor told News OK.
_____________________
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
In a preemptive strike against local efforts to strengthen workers' rights, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin (R) on Tuesday signed into law a measure that forbids all cities and counties in the state from raising the minimum wage any higher than the current federal requirement of $7.25 an hour.
Further, the law bans all localities from requiring employers to provide sick days or vacation days, either paid or unpaid.
Critics of the law say it was a direct attack on grassroots efforts in Oklahoma City to put a $10.10 minimum wage on the November ballot.
Municipalities are leading the charge to raise the minimum wage, as federal calls to raise the wage to $10.10 have stalled. Advocates of a livable wage in Los Angeles are pushing for an increase to $15.37 an hour for hotel workers and in cities across the country the low-wage labor movement has been calling for the minimum wage to be raised to $15 dollars an hour.
Tim O'Connor, president of the Central Oklahoma Labor Federation, which is leading the Oklahoma City ballot drive, said that despite the new law the group will continue to collect signatures "until somebody tells us we can't."
"If anything this has given us more momentum," O'Connor told News OK.
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