Proposition B to raise Missouri’s Minimum Wage has passed overwhelmingly. Thanks to the thousands of Missourians that worked in one way or another on the campaign, and to the more than 1.5 million Missouriains that voted to Give Missourians A Raise.
The Missouri Supreme Court, in a 6-1 opinion, affirmed the decision of Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan that the law is unconstitutional. The court held that the law burdened the fundamental right to vote and violated the equal protection provisions of the Missouri Constitution.
The decision means that registered voters will NOT be required to present one of the four forms of photo ID outlined in SB1014 this November.
Voters will be able to show up at the polls this November and vote upon presenting one of the many types of identification spelled out in Section 115.427 of the Missouri Revised Statutes (including an out-of-state driver’s license, university ID, utility bill or bank statement, or personal knowledge of two election judges if the person lacks any ID).
However, JwJ and other area organizations are still organizing to be sure every Missouri vote counts. To volunteer to be a poll monitor, call or email JwJ Organizer Aaron Burnett.
Special thanks to Denise Lieberman from the Stetin Center for Law and Social Change for educating JwJ and other grassroots organizations on the Voter ID bill and other voter protection efforts.
Click here for more information about the Voter ID ruling and your right to vote
St. Louis Janitors Demand Respect on Justice For Janitors Day
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On June 15th, over a hundred and twenty St. Louis Janitors and allies rallied and marched through downtown Clayton demanding respect for their hard work an justice in their fight for their basic workers’ rights. Jobs with Justice and the Service Employees International Union helped mobilize representatives from the broader labor movement, community and religious activists, and fellow workers to their demands to the streets.
Marchers stopped outside corporate buildings along the route who subcontract cleaning work to non-union cleaning companies and called for responsible business practices towards workers who make little more than minimum wage and enjoy minimal benefits. A letter was delivered to the offices of Enterprise Leasing asking that they also ask for responsible business practices of their cleaning subcontractor, Boldt Brothers Contracting.
This rally was just the beginning of this year’s campaign to organize and improve the working conditions of area janitors. By the end of the year, representatives of more than 3,000 area janitors will be at the bargaining table demanding progress towards living wages, health care for families, and dignity for all on the job. Stay tuned…
Much progress, but still no Living Wage
A Community Panel organized by JwJ’s Workers’ Rights Board has issued a report on the progress on workers’ issues at Washington University in the last year. The report, “Making Real the Promise”, notes that although much progress has been made, most sub-contracted service workers still don’t have access to health care or a living wage.
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