The Seattle Times: ‘Whiplash’ – Cutting worker pay is on the table
The Seattle Times has confirmed that the Seattle City Council is getting ready to CUT gig worker pay by repealing the #PayUp minimum wage law.
For the last two months, app corporations have done everything they can to keep workers from making minimum wage, including piling on massive new fees to squeeze local businesses, customers, and workers. And now, they’ve finally come clean about what this is really about:
“..some council members have raised the idea of striking down the law entirely…”
“a spokesperson for DoorDash said the company’s preference remains a full repeal.”
The apps want to cut your pay – and they think the Seattle City Council will help them do it. No matter what changes they propose, we know the goal is to go back to being able to pay workers whatever they want, with zero transparency or accountability.
As the Seattle Times article points out, there’s a rushed closed-door process underway at the Council, being led by Council President Sara Nelson, to help make that happen – but there’s still time for us to stop it.
“Am I able to recognize the backlash around it? Of course. However, any and all backlash around it has been the result of the companies, their resistance to paying more adequately, being accountable and being more honest. It saddens and frustrates me that the customer is the ultimate sufferer.”
If city councilmembers are looking for a way to help Seattle’s economy, they should focus on reigning in the apps’ unrestricted ability to gouge local customers and businesses. That’s the real problem. And for the council to consider rolling back minimum pay protections for low-wage workers by doing the app corporations’ bidding? That’s a problem too.
We can’t believe we have to say this, but we need your help reminding Seattle city councilmembers that all workers deserve a living wage, and that repealing or undermining any worker’s right to minimum wage is a huge step backwards for our city.