The Short Version:

Minimum wage is a joke in this country, even in California, which has the highest in the nation. So the folks at SEIU 2015 are fighting for a $20 minimum wage, starting with nursing home and homecare workers. These workers have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, working long hours for low pay to take care of our loved ones. Join them in their call to California leaders to set a $20 minimum wage.

Sign the Petition Right Here

The Long Version:

Despite the fact that one of the frontrunners vying to replace Gavin Newsom if he’s recalled doesn’t believe we should even have a minimum wage, having one is vital. Otherwise bosses could literally just pay you whatever they wanted.

That said, even though California has the highest minimum wage – $13 for employers with 25 or fewer employees or $14 for employers with 26 or more employees – that’s still a fucking joke. The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s annual “Out of Reach” report found that full-time minimum wage workers can’t afford rent anywhere in the US.

As CNBC explains, “The report defines affordability as the hourly wage a full-time worker must earn to spend no more than 30% of their income on rent, in line with what most budgeting experts recommend. This year, workers would need to earn $24.90 per hour for a two-bedroom home and $20.40 per hour for a one-bedroom rental.”

Plus, as the Center for Economic Policy and Research notes, the minimum wage would be $26 if “it had kept pace with productivity growth since its value peaked in 1968.”

So yeah, even though California has the highest minimum wage, it’s still total bullshit.

Luckily the folks at SEIU 2015, has begun the fight for a $20 minimum wage in California beginning with nursing home and homecare workers.

From SEIU 2015

In California and across the country, nursing home and homecare workers have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, working long hours for low pay to care for our loved ones.

So why aren’t we treating them like the essential workers they are?

We’re calling on California leaders to put an end to the hardship and disrespect nursing home and homecare workers face by implementing a $20 minimum wage for these workers. This wage increase will help nursing home and homecare workers — who are most often women of color — support themselves and their families without the financial stress they’re currently under.

Sign the Petition Right Here

Note: While this article is being paid by SEIU 2015, I agree with it with the entirety of my being. We all deserve more than we’re getting. Every single one of us.