Idaho’s minimum wage has been $7.25/hour for the last 10 years. A single adult working full-time and earning the minimum wage in Idaho lives in poverty. The lack of a fair wage forces many young Idahoans to leave the state to find jobs with better pay.
I’m sure many University of Idaho students who need to earn money for school expenses and those who look for employment after graduating, feel that this wage is totally unacceptable. There is something we can all do about this situation right now.
Last week, several major statewide organizations endorsed an initiative proposed by an organization called “Idahoans for a Fair Wage” to raise the minimum wage to $12/hour over the next 4 years.
Idaho chapters of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), the National Organization for Women (NOW), United Vision for Idaho (UVI), and the League of Women Voters of Idaho “proudly endorsed the initiative, encourage Idaho voters to sign it, and encourage people to help get the signatures needed” by April 30 to get it on the Idaho ballot in November. Over 55,000 signatures statewide need to be collected in order for us to have the opportunity to vote on this initiative and pass it.
The League of Women Voters of Moscow is sponsoring a workshop this Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in the Arts Room at the 1912 Center, 412 E. 3 Third Street, Moscowfor anyone interested in helping to gather signatures from Idaho voters on this initiative petition.
University of Idaho students and faculty are especially invited to participate. If you can’t attend the workshop but still want to be involved, email a message to [email protected]. To find out more about the initiative, go to http://fairwageid.org.
Letter to the editor received from Kathy Dawes