Public policy changes aimed at helping women get ahead in the workforce were the focus of a women’s economic summit in Duluth today.
Featured speakers included DFL State Senator Sandy Pappas and House Speaker Paul Thissen.
In addition to the Economic Security Act, both lawmakers said the increase in the state’s minimum wage will help women and their families get a fair shot in the workforce.
For a state that fancies itself progressive, it’s always good to prove it.
When Gov. Mark Dayton signed the Women’s Economic Security Act into law on Mother’s Day, it placed Minnesota at the forefront of the discussion on female equality in the workplace.
Today in Duluth, that discussion advances. The “Women & Families Economic Security Summit” at the DECC is the first of three nationally, joining Harrisburg, Pa., and Orlando, Fla., leading into a June 23 summit hosted by the White House.
For Liz Olson, Duluth’s inclusion in the discussion makes perfect sense. She cited the 8th Congressional District as being home to one of the biggest pay disparities between men and women in the state, particularly on the Iron Range and other rural areas.
“This would have been a different discussion had it taken place in St. Paul,” said Olson, who is the Duluth organizing and policy manager for TakeAction Minnesota, which is hosting the summit in conjunction with the Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C., think tank.
Working mothers in Minnesota are increasingly the primary breadwinners in their families and make up more than half of the workforce in our state. Yet, women continuously fall behind in almost every measure of economic success. 
Last week Minnesota took a big step towards tackling these problems when Governor Dayton signed the Women’s Economic Security Act into law. And on Monday, Duluth City Councilors, organizational leaders and community members gathered at Duluth City Hall to celebrate the passage of the Women’s Economic Security Act and to call on policy makers to continue moving forward. That night the Duluth City Council unanimously adopted a resolution highlighting the work that still needs to be done including expanding earned sick time for working families.
But you and I both know that there’s more to be done. Now is the time to continue to fight for changes that improve the lives of women in Minnesot and allow all Minnesotans to thrive — not just survive.
Want to be a part of a conversation on what’s next?
At TakeAction we are excited to be working with the Center for American Progress to bring a statewide summit on women and families economic security to Duluth on May 22nd. … Continue reading »
Moms working three jobs to support their family. Women being passed over for a promotion because they’ve got kids at home. Men being paid more for the same job. 
We’ve heard these stories so many times, but this Mother’s Day, things changed as Governor Dayton signed the Women’s Economic Security Act into law — a huge step forward for Minnesota women and their families.
What does this mean?
These are just some of the provisions that will go into effect with the Women’s Economic Security Act.… Continue reading »
The Duluth City Council unanimously gave its blessing Monday night to a bill Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law this weekend.
Councilors Sharla Gardner, Emily Larson and Jennifer Julsrud introduced a resolution in support of the Women’s Economic Security Act.
Larson referred to the new law as “an important step in the right direction” for the state.
Liz Olson, a local organizer for TakeAction Minnesota, called the act “a huge victory for our state” and expressed her hopes that other states will follow suit.
City councilors, TakeAction Minnesota, County Commissioners and women throughout the community gathered at City Hall to celebrate the signing of the Women’s Economic Security Act into law .
Governor Dayton signed the bill into law on Mother’s Day.
The group celebrated some of the highlights of the bill..including closing the gender pay gap , and allowing women to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave instead of the current six for maternity leave.
Currently women make up more than half of the work force in Minnesota.
Elizabeth Olson with TakeAction Minnesota says working mothers are generally the breadwinners in the family, but still make an average of 76 cents of every dollar a man makes.
Olson says the bill is a victory for the state of Minnesota, but there are still barriers holding women back.
“Women are often primary caregivers. Women in working families fall behind in our economy. but we can do something about this. The women’s economic security act was a huge step forward. We can continue where it left off and further policies that help women and working families succeed,” said Elizabeth Olson with Take Action, Minnesota.
Click here for video and the full article.… Continue reading »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 12, 2014
Contacts: Liz Olson, LizO@TakeActionMinnesota.org, 218.343.4281
Greta Bergstrom, Greta@TakeActionMinnesota.org, 651.336.6722
City Council Resolution to Be Introduced Monday Night
Duluth, MN – On the heels of Governor Mark Dayton signing into law a broad package of workplace protections for women and their families, several members of the Duluth City Council and advocates representing women and mothers in Duluth held a Monday afternoon press conference to highlight the needs of working women and their families and the significant barriers holding them back, including pay inequity, earned sick leave and retirement security. Councilors plan to introduce and pass a resolution Monday night supporting economic security measures for women and working families locally.
“What happens on the state level matters here in Duluth,” said Emily Larson, Duluth City Council Vice-President and Councilor-At-Large. “Through passage of the Women’s Economic Security Act, we have made considerable strides during the 2014 legislative session to ensure greater economic security for women. But there is still important work to be done, especially around expanding earned sick time for working families. As a city councilor, I believe the needs of women and families are the needs of our community. I will work to support efforts at the Capitol while crafting local solutions on economic security right here in Duluth.”… Continue reading »
Minneapolis’ North Side is not getting its fair share of transit amenities, despite having a heavily transit-dependent population, a group of residents told Metropolitan Council representatives over the weekend.
At a packed meeting on Saturday in the offices of Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC), bus riders said that north Minneapolis lacks adequate shelters — particularly heated ones — and that increased fares have strained already tight budgets.
“Riders notice the drastic difference between service and amenities in other parts of the city like Uptown and the south side,” said NOC’s transit organizer, Michael McDowell, who has been surveying transit riders. “And how the service is significantly better and they have more amenities at their stops than [in] north.”
Gov. Mark Dayton rang in Mother’s Day Sunday by giving final approval to a package of bills aimed at improving conditions for women in the workplace.
The Women’s Economic Security Act, comprised of nine separate pieces of legislation, won legislative approval last week with bipartisan support. It forces about 1,000 state contractors to certify that they pay men and women equally for similar jobs, extends parental leave from six to 12 weeks and requires employers to make new accommodations for expectant and new mothers.
Dayton signed the bill surrounded by women at an event at the governor’s reception room. Women’s groups fought hard for the package.
“Nothing else like this is happening in the nation,” said Lee Roper-Batker, president of the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. “I have to tell you the nation is watching and cheering … right now.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 8, 2014
Contacts: Greta Bergstrom, Greta@takeactionminnesota.org, 651.336.6722
Site Advocates for Transit Enhancements to Address Racial and Economic Inequities Along Corridor
Minneapolis, MN – A growing coalition of organizations and transit riders launched a campaign and website on Thursday to promote a new dialog around construction of the Southwest light rail as the municipal consent process of public meetings gets underway. The first is a public forum in North Minneapolis to be held at Minnesota Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC) between transit riders and Met Council members on Saturday afternoon, May 10.
“While Southwest light rail wasn’t built with our community in mind, it has the potential to improve racial and economic equity in Minneapolis and across the region. But not unless we negotiate improvements that benefit lower-income transit riders and which address persistent inequities across the city of Minneapolis and our region,” said NOC Executive Director Anthony Newby.
The website, PeoplesTransit.org, was launched by NOC, TakeAction Minnesota, ISAIAH, the Sierra Club and the Harrison Neighborhood Association to promote an array of equity enhancements the Met Council, City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County should embrace as they enter mediation and the process of gaining municipal consent.… Continue reading »
On this historic day, when Governor Dayton signed a minimum wage increase of $9.50 an hour, indexed to inflation, into law — let’s take a look back at the top 10 things members like you did to make this day possible.
1. Talked to our legislators in their districts, like these meetings with Senator Ann Rest in Robbinsdale and in Grand Rapids with Representatives Metsa, Melin, Radinovich, Persell, & Anzelc and Senators Tomassoni & Saxhaug
2. Attended our caucuses and conventions to talk to our neighbors and senators about raising the wage. (Our Grand Rapids Organizer said this Itasca County convention had 95% of delegates wearing raise the wage stickers before she ran out!)
3. Spoke up against a proposal to put a constitutional amendment on the 2014 ballot to index the wage — making it loud and clear that working families deserved a raise now, not a vote in November.
4. Made 6,000 calls to Minnesotans and sent nearly 2,000 emails to legislators.
5. Collected more than 6,000 petitions signatures with CREDO Mobilize.
6. Knocked on 2,000 doors to talk to working families about what raising the wage would mean to them.
7. Members like K’Shauna testified at legislative hearings to make sure that legislators heard from the working Minnesotans who will benefit from this increase.… Continue reading »
Gov. Mark Dayton signed into law the largest minimum wage increase in state history Monday, giving raises to more than 325,000 Minnesotans and making good on a signature Democratic pledge during an election year.
The move to a $9.50 base hourly wage catapults the state from one of the lowest minimum wages to one of the highest once it is fully phased in by 2016. The state’s base wage will be tied to inflation starting in 2018, ensuring the buying power of the state’s lowest-paid workers keeps better pace with the cost of living.
“Minnesotans who work full time should be able to earn enough money to lift their families out of poverty, and through hard work and additional training, achieve the middle-class American dream,” the DFL governor said, surrounded by legislators, workers and labor leaders at a ceremonial bill-signing in the State Capitol rotunda. “These are people, good Minnesotans all over the state, who just want to work and get paid something that is fair.”
The sharp wage hike puts Minnesota at the forefront of a major initiative by President Obama, who has failed to persuade Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 and instead is pressing his case state by state.… Continue reading »
The debate surrounding Southwest light-rail transit (SWLRT) shouldn’t be confined to rerouting freight rail and shallow tunnels. Wouldn’t we be better served by figuring out how light rail can be a catalyst for equitable transit across the 16-mile corridor? A discussion like that would help cork the fight over rail alignment and transform it into one that is far more constructive and economically beneficial for the region — and most notably for Minneapolis.
Nearly every other day an elected official or business leader touts “equity” and “reducing racial disparities” as priorities in public pronouncements. Rarely do they actually turn their words into action to really improve people’s lives. We think just such an opportunity now exists for those working to resolve turf warfare over SWLRT.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2014
Contact: Greta Bergstrom, 651.336.6722, greta@takeactionminnesota.org
St. Paul, MN – TakeAction Minnesota issued the following statement upon Thursday afternoon’s passage of H.F. 2091, raising the state’s minimum wage and indexing it for inflation:
“TakeAction Minnesota applauds the Minnesota House and Senate for passing an historic increase in Minnesota’s minimum wage. Raising our minimum wage to $9.50 an hour, indexed to inflation is a sensible response to the decades-long erosion of job standards in Minnesota.
“Today the majority of our legislature joined the majority of Minnesotans in calling for a new bargain for Minnesota families. By going to $9.50 an hour, Minnesota is starting to reverse the forty-six year decline in the value of our minimum wage. By indexing to inflation, Minnesota is ensuring that the minimum wage’s value keeps up with the cost of living.
“This is the serious, long-view leadership that Minnesota’s families should expect from our state government. But it’s just a first step. When roughly a million Minnesotans still lack paid sick time, employer-sponsored retirement plans, or a living wage, we know we still have important work to do to help Minnesota families thrive, not just worry about surviving.
“This bold legislation would not have been passed without the leadership and tenacity of Representative Ryan Winkler, Senator Chris Eaton and the Raise the Wage coalition, led the by Minnesota AFL-CIO. … Continue reading »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 8, 2014
Contact: Greta Bergstrom, Greta@TakeActionMinnesota.org, 651.336.6722
Minneapolis, MN – Local organizations, community leaders, and transit riders gathered Tuesday morning in North Minneapolis, calling on the Met Council, City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County to negotiate to maximize Southwest Light Rail’s ability to deliver on economic opportunity for residents along the corridor. Speakers said the SWLRT has the potential to expand equity and economic opportunity not only in Minneapolis, but throughout the region, if guarantees can be effectively negotiated.
“Southwest Light Rail can be a boon for our Northside community and we’d like to see the project move forward,” explained Paul Slack, President of ISAIAH and lead pastor of New Creation Church in North Minneapolis. “But as it stands right now, our community needs guarantees to realize the promise SWLRT holds for promoting transit equity and economic development for local Minneapolis residents. The Met Council, City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County must join together, negotiate and get this done.”
Slack was joined by TakeAction Minnesota and organizers and transit riders from Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC) delivering a common message: “SWLRT should go forward but we need guarantees that the city of Minneapolis must push for with Hennepin County and the Met Council.”… Continue reading »
You know what I love about Duluth? The big lake iced over in the winter, my West Duluth neighborhood, walking the trail at the end of Park Point, the great music and beer made locally, the Farmer’s Market in the summer, and the hearty people that call Duluth home.
Even with so many good things about Duluth we still have major issues confronting our community. Problems so daunting that they seem impossible to solve. We have a city whose residents’ life expectancy varies by zipcode, we have some of the worst income disparities between people of color and white people, and we have many who are without affordable housing. Our minimum wage leaves people in poverty.
And as a woman, I’m keenly aware that women in particular are being left behind in this economy. Two out of three Minnesotans working minimum wage jobs are women, and families headed by women are more likely to live in poverty than families that aren’t.
These are big problems. Problems that need solving.
But that brings me right back to what I love about Duluth. The people. We have so many committed, caring people, leaders, and organizations working together to tackle these problems. We can’t do it alone.… Continue reading »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 27, 2014
Contact: Greta Bergstrom, 651.336.6722, greta@takeactionminnesota.org
March spotlighted Monday’s termination of April Williams who was unfairly fired after participation in a strike last November at Walmart’s Brooklyn Center store
Brooklyn Center, MN – On Thursday afternoon, over a hundred marchers, the vast majority single-moms, their children and allies marched on Walmart’s Brooklyn Center store calling on management to pay living wages to its employees and enact family-friendly policies to lift women and their children out of poverty. The march spotlighted Monday’s termination of April Williams who was unfairly fired after participation in a one-day strike last November at Walmart’s Brooklyn Center store
With a disproportionately female front-line workforce, organizers of Thursday’s march say wealthy corporations like Walmart have a responsibility to pay their workers higher hourly wages and create better hours and scheduling for store associates working to balance work with providing for their families. Marchers also called on Walmart to stop retaliatory practices against workers for speaking out for better pay and working conditions.
April Williams, who started working at the Brooklyn Center Walmart during the summer of 2012, is a single mom who lives with her sister and also goes to school. On Monday, Williams was unfairly fired after participation in a strike last November at the Brooklyn Center store. … Continue reading »
Earlier today, 100+ Minnesotans braved the cold to march with single moms and ask Wal-Mart to support policies that will lift Minnesota women out of poverty. We heard from women who were fired for being sick and who struggle to make ends meet working low-wage jobs.
They’re not an anomaly. Two out of three low-wage workers are women. Female headed families are four times more likely to be in poverty. And on and on.
So although I couldn’t feel my fingers or my toes, it felt worth it marching behind this single mom and her son.
Our kids’ moms deserve to be paid a living wage. Minnesota kids deserve to have their parents home with them when they’re sick without fear of losing their jobs. And Minnesota women deserve to equal pay for equal work.
Representative Carly Melin and Senator Sandy Pappas have put forward a bill that would tackle all these issues at once. Elizabeth in our office started a petition on CREDO Mobilize to back them up — will you add your name?
For Immediate Release
February 25, 2014
Contact: Josh Keller, 612-270-2984, jkeller@mnfaireconomy.org or
Greta Bergstrom, 651-336-6722, greta@takeactionminnesota.org
Community names Target, Wal-Mart & the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as obstacles to higher wages.
Minneapolis, MN (Feb. 25) – On the first day of a legislative session that is certain to be dominated by the debate over how much Legislators will raise Minnesota’s minimum wage, workers aligned with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL), TakeAction Minnesota, OurWalmart, the Greater Minnesota Worker Center, and airport workers organizing with SEIU Local 26 will take the stage at the Raise the Wage rally at the state Capitol today to share why we cannot wait any longer to end poverty wages in our state.
The following days, these same workers will be taking the debate out of the Capitol and directly to the wealthy corporations that not only employ large numbers of low-wage workers in the state, but are standing in the way of a modest wage increase supported by an overwhelming majority of Minnesotans.
With President Obama recently calling for a $10.10 federal minimum wage and low-wage workers across the country gaining traction in their fight for higher wages, raising Minnesota’s minimum wage is currently a hot-button issue at the Capitol.… Continue reading »
Minnesota makes the list! Click here to see the full edition.
The sub-zero temperatures on Saturday, Dec. 7, did little to dampen the spirits of those who chose to spend a portion of the evening standing by the Big Chair on Pokegama Avenue in Grand Rapids with signs calling for a rise in minimum wage. The roughly dozen people who stood on the busy corner holding signs reading “Raise the Wage” didn’t seem to mind the unforgiving weather, instead simply focusing on their message.
But the main event was held a block away in Brewed Awakenings Coffee House. Organized by the Itasca Working Families Alliance and TakeAction Minnesota, attendees of the rally filled the café to hear Representative Rick Nolan speak about his views on minimum wage laws in this country, as well as from state representatives Tom Anzelc (D-Balsam), John Persell (D-Bemidji), Joe Radinovich (D-Crosby), and Jason Metsa (D-Virginia).
On Black Friday I was arrested with 25 others in an act of civil disobedience to demand an end to poverty wages in Minnesota. It was the busiest shopping day of the year and with a thousand people marching, we shut down half a dozen Saint Paul City blocks with our joyful rebellion. You can see pictures of the action here.
Now, we were determined to disrupt business as usual, but we weren’t creating a crisis. The truth is with hours cut, benefits non-existent and wages stagnating or in decline, our families are already in crisis. With our kids growing up in working poverty and our schools underfunded, our communities are already in crisis. With so much wealth in so few hands, our state is already in crisis. Our civil disobedience was about making the crisis visible.
I was surprised, though, that a demonstration filled with righteous anger felt so celebratory. The truth is collective action is a liberating thing. You’re not alone in your anger. You have a community. You come alive to the sense of possibility and power you’ve always had inside.
Maybe Minnesota’s Senate should take note. They could easily step up and pass the minimum wage hike the House of Representatives has proposed.… Continue reading »
Itasca Working Families Alliance and TakeAction Minnesota will hold a Rally to End Poverty Wages in Minnesota on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. in Grand Rapids. The rally will be preceded by a march from the Angel of Hope Park at 5:30 p.m., across the Pokegama Avenue Bridge and to the Big Chair, before moving inside to Brewed Awakenings Coffee House at 6 p.m.
An area resident will give the perspective of trying to survive on minimum wage. Other speakers will include U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, State Senator Tom Saxhaug, Rep. Tom Anzelc and other area elected officials.
Protesters continued calling for better wages on Black Friday in what organizers are calling the largest strike of its kind in Minnesota.
So far, 26 people were arrested while practicing non-violent civil disobedience during the march in St. Paul, according to protest organizers.
They have been cited for blocking traffic during Friday morning demonstration at intersection of University and Snelling, according to St. Paul police.
Retail cleaning workers, contracted to work at more than 40 stores in the Twin Cities, walked off the job in an unfair labor practices strike.
Click here for the full article and video.… Continue reading »
On a day when shoppers across Minnesota are embarking on an annual holiday spending spree, hundreds of low-wage workers gathered to march and call for higher pay.
The group, which includes members of OurWalmart, CTUL, SEIU Local 26, Minnesotans for a Fair Economy, Greater Minnesota Worker Center and TakeAction Minnesota among others, stretched out for blocks while making their way down University Avenue Friday afternoon.
Organizers say the march comes on the heels of a strike by retail workers at the Brooklyn Center Walmart and another by cleaners at Target in downtown Minneapolis.
Protestors believe the week-long series of actions underlines a growing anger among workers on the low-end of the wage scale, and the need for corporations and lawmakers to step up and take action to raise wages for the state’s working class.
Click here for the full article and video.… Continue reading »
Hundreds of people marched down University Avenue in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood Friday to protest low pay for retail workers.
The demonstrators marched through the area, including the parking lot of the St. Paul Walmart store, in a demonstration calling for better worker wages and a hike in the state’s minimum wage.
The rally stopped traffic on University Avenue and ended with a sit-in at the intersection of University and Snelling Avenues.
Police arrested 26 protesters on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul on Friday after hundreds marched for better wages for janitors and retail employees.
The Black Friday protest was one of several around the country in which protesters used the highly visible start to the holiday shopping rush as a stage from which to broadcast their claims that retail pay isn’t enough to live on.
The Midway-area rally was organized by St. Paul-based TakeAction Minnesota and the Service Employees International Union.
When Minnesotans last fall rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have required voters to present photo identification at the polls, it represented a huge victory for liberal groups that had fought to oppose it.
On the front lines of that effort was TakeAction Minnesota, which over the last decade has become a powerful advocate for liberal causes. Since then, the group has played crucial role in several state and local campaigns, including the race for mayor in Minneapolis.
Take Action Minnesota emerged from the 2006 merger of two other groups — Progressive Minnesota and the Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action.
The group’s supporters are “movement builders” — ready to spring to action during petition drives and elections, said Dan McGrath, executive director of TakeAction Minnesota.
“At any given moment we’re in the streets protesting something,” McGrath said. “We’re a people’s organization. Every day we are knocking on doors, making phone calls, talking to people in the community — people who are often low-income, people who are on the margins, people of color, the elderly, students.”
McGrath said those communities set TakeAction Minnesota’s agenda, which has a lot to do with improving conditions for minorities in Minnesota. With an annual budget of more than $3 million, 31 full-time employees and an email list of more than 40,000 supporters, the group can devote considerable energy to its work.… Continue reading »
I approached the minimum wage door knock I had signed up for yesterday tired and stressed. I wasn’t fully committed to being there but wanted to follow-through on what I said I would do. I am so glad I didn’t back out.
The conversations I had with people – asking them to tell their story, sign a petition and write a letter to their Senator about raising the minimum wage — were amazing. The energy and real relationship building I was able to do reminded me why I do this work. Many people invited me in, treated me like a welcomed guest in their home (even though I had unannounced showed up at their door). Everyone thanked me.
That’s what stands out the most for me. I grew up in many of those apartments. Some of my childhood memories include hanging out in the halls with all the other kids who lived in the unit. No one that I recall took the time to meet me and my family, where we were at. That’s what these door-knocks are doing. We’re lucky enough to get out and meet people in their homes, where they are. And people are grateful that we are doing it.… Continue reading »
Rep. Ryan Winkler may be a Harvard- and Minnesota-educated lawyer and four-term DFL legislator from Golden Valley, but he’s also a guy from Bemidji who watched his hometown friends and extended family struggle as real median household income in Minnesota dropped 9.5 percent between 2001 and 2011.
That background has something to do with Winkler’s decision to take his House Select Committee on Living Wage Jobs on the road this fall. It summoned local pols and businessfolk to hearings in eight Minnesota cities, Bemidji among them, to consider how best to make work pay more.
There’s this, too: Winkler is historian enough to understand that growing income inequality is one of the biggest problems facing the state and nation, and idealistic (and ambitious) enough to believe that he and the Minnesota Legislature can do something about it.
…
The emergence of a potent minimum wage coalition in recent months makes those ideas seem more politically plausible than they were a few years ago. So does the rise of TakeAction Minnesota, which crowed last week about its role in Betsy Hodges’ successful mayoral bid in the Nov. 5 Minneapolis election.
Calling itself a “people’s network,” TakeAction is sometimes tagged as socialist. But it stands for some pretty basic American ideas: People who want to work should be able to do so.… Continue reading »
