WILMINGTON—As the conversation on income inequality grows and fast food workers continue to speak out against low wages, the General Assembly Tuesday will convene the first meeting of the Delaware Low-Wage Worker Task Force. The meeting will take place on August 27 at 1:00p.m. at the Chase Center and is open to the public.
Spearheaded by Senator Bob Marshall, the task force was created by the 147th General Assembly to study and make recommendations on the high cost of low-wage industries like fast food, retail, janitorial and security.
WHAT: Low-Wage Worker Task Force Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday, August 27, 1:00p.m.
WHERE: Chase Center, 815 Justison St, Wilmington, DE 19801 (Auditorium)
WHO:
(Presenters)
Rachel West, Center for American Progress
Jack Temple, National Employment Law Project
Dave Cooper, Employment Policy institute
Fast food workers
Background: The Low-Wage Worker Task Force will examine the growth and nature of the low-wage service sector as compared to other job growth and sectors in the State of Delaware. The task force will look at the demographics and rate of poverty of workers in low-wage industries and the impact of these jobs on children, families and communities. Additionally, the task force will investigate the cost to Delaware taxpayers resulting from low-wage worker earning so little they are forced to rely on public assistance.
The task force’s creation comes at a time when the lowest 20 percent of Delaware’s workforce is growing rapidly while good paying manufacturing and white-collar jobs are declining. Delaware has had a substantial increase in low-wage service sector jobs over the last decade. Nearly 38% of Delaware jobs are now low-wage.
Low-Wage Worker Task force members include:
Deputy Attorney General, Ann Marie Johnson
Senator Robert Marshall
Senator Colin Bonini
Representative Michael Mulrooney
Representative Michael Ramone
President & CEO Kenny Family ShopRites , Mr. Chris Kenny
New Castle County Council President, Chris Bullock
Secretary of Labor, John McMahon
Chief Policy Advisor, Deborah Gottschalk
Senior Legislative Analyst, Courtney Stewart
President DE State AFL-CIO, Sam Lathem
Director Mid-Atlantic 32BJ SEIU, Daisy Cruz
DE Fast Food Forward is a movement of DE fast food workers, and supporters from faith, labor and community groups, who are fighting to raise wages and gain rights at work. It is part of the national movement of low-wage workers fighting for a better future.
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