Inspired by hotel workers, it's time to fight for a living wage
Are the rest of us as committed as hotel housekeepers to raising up Hawaiʻi?
Can we as a community accomplish in 60 days what the hotel housekeepers and restaurant workers achieved in 51 days?
UNITE HERE! Local 5 achieved a huge victory for all of Hawaiʻi’s hotel workers. According to media reports, the wages and benefits won by the workers equate to approximately $6.13 per hour spread out over 4 years. They also gained improved working conditions, retroactive pay, and more.
Imagine if every worker now earning a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour was to achieve the same increase over the same period of time. Imagine if this increase was then improved on just a little bit every year to remain slightly ahead of inflation. Slowly but surely, if we had the will, all of Hawaiʻi’s workers would earn a living wage.
One job should be enough. Every person who works 40 hours per week deserves health care, a decent roof over their head, and three meals a day. How could this be too much to ask of any business or of any government leader? And as consumers, how could we not be willing to pay the tiny little bit more in return for granting all workers the dignity of a living wage?
