Last week, the Richmond City Council voted in favor of an ordinance that would create a city minimum wage of $12.30 an hour by 2017. If the council approves a second draft of the ordinance next month, the first increase to $9.60 per hour will go into effect in 2015, with successive increases to come

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray proposes legislation that would increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 over the next seven years. Read more: http://www.theeventchronicle.com/finanace/seattle-mayor-unveils-plan-for-15-minimum-wage/

Voters in the town of Seatac in the state of Washington passed a $15 per hour living wage law to cover workers at airport near Seattle and surrounding hotels. Read more: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2013/11/06/real-change-workers-living-wage-backers-declare-victory-local-election

Budget and Policy Analyst report slammed the City’s job training programs for being disorganized. CalWORKs participant says that welfare-to-work programs do not lead to jobs. Read more: http://www.sfbg.com/2013/10/29/what-jobs

A bill that would help working families in California enroll in the state’s food stamp program was signed today by Gov. Jerry Brown. SB 672, authored by Senator Mark Leno, streamlines the paperwork process for CalFresh applicants who are required to document their child care expenses in order to establish eligibility. Read more: http://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/2013-10-04-governor-signs-leno-bill-streamlining-food-stamp-eligibility

The AFL-CIO quadrennial 2013 convention in Los Angeles was a flurry of exciting activity that promises to remake the labor movement in the United States and build a movement for all working people to deal with the new challenges and political landscape working families must navigate. (Read more…)