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As many states’ legislative sessions approach their conclusion, I invite you to take a moment to celebrate the important advances we’ve made in championing pro-worker, pro-people, legislation across the states. Your collective efforts and perseverance have been instrumental in helping to raise labor standards and safeguard social insurance programs for countless workers and their families.
I know that many of you are still in the thick of the fight, and there are many victories—large and small—that we at EARN HQ haven’t heard about. But I wanted to share a few examples of the ways that the network and our allies have advanced critical worker-centered policy. This year alone:
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EARN groups in a dozen states, including Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia have vigorously countered the dark money campaign to rollback child labor laws, helping maintain and even strengthen standards in several states.
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EARN groups and allies in DC, Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan bolstered wage growth by increasing the minimum wage, accelerating existing scheduled minimum wage increases, and eliminating harmful subminimum wages for tipped workers.
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We defended and even expanded safety net programs like paid leave and unemployment insurance. For example, EPI supported efforts to extend unemployment insurance benefits to striking workers in Connecticut, Minnesota, and several more states; Meanwhile, our colleagues in Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia played key roles in advancing paid leave legislation.
- Worker advocates in 18 states are taking action to tackle the problem of captive audience meetings, paving the way for 63.7 million workers to gain protection from political and religious coercion in the workplace.
This is just a sliver of what folks in this network have achieved so far this year. Whether you’ve secured legislative victories or pushed back in defensive battles, your tenacity and commitment make undeniable differences within your communities. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for any last-minute technical assistance requests, resources, or other needs, so we can work together to finish this legislative season from a position of strength.
Stay engaged and join us at EARNCon 2024!
Looking ahead, we must continue building on this momentum together! Stay tuned for registration details for EARNCon 2024 (September 11–13) in beautiful New Orleans, Louisiana, where we’ll have a chance to socialize, strategize, and maximize our impact in the coming year.
Solidarity forever,
Daniel Perez
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