By TIPHERET PEÑA / Murphy News Service
A majority of Minneapolis voters support increasing the minimum wage, fair scheduling for workers and paid time off for illnesses and family emergencies, a new poll finds.
A poll commissioned by Minnesotans for a Fair Economy (MFE) in September found that voters overwhelmingly support proposals to address Minneapolis labor issues, with seven out of the eight issues mentioned receiving majority strong support.
The poll was done for the #MPLSWorks campaign and had a sample size of 400 likely voters with a margin of error of about 5 percentage points, according to MFE. All respondents surveyed identified as having participated in at least one of the 2013 or 2014 elections.
Forty-nine percent of voters polled indicated that they believe the overall Minneapolis economy is getting better. However, the majority of participants said they believed the economic environment is improving for businesses but is leaving the middle class, working families and low-income people struggling.
“A majority of Minneapolis City Council Members have clearly shown they stand with big business, not with the working people of this city,” 15 Now organizer Kip Hedges said in a press release.
On Oct. 23, by a 10-3 vote, the City Council decided to table a proposal for fair worker scheduling proposal from the Working Families Agenda. Following their decision, hundreds of workers and allies marched through City Hall in protest.
“Given the hostility of a council majority and the popular support for a $15/hour minimum wage, supporters are weighing next steps, including the possibility of a ballot initiative in 2016,” 15 Now Organizers said in a press release.
Those next steps included a march from northeast Minneapolis to City Hall last week calling for a $15 minimum wage and other worker protections.
When asked about the City Council’s decision to table the fair worker scheduling proposal, Hedges said he couldn’t speak for the council members but said it might have been due to the concerns of smaller businesses.
“I do know that a number of small businesses wanted to have more discussion about some of the proposals around fair scheduling and there was progress being made on that,” he said.
Eighty-two percent of participants support raising the minimum wage to $15 now or over time, the poll showed.
Support for many of the issues raised in the poll was broad. Of the eight proposals mentioned in the poll; which included increasing the minimum wage above $9, paid time off for illnesses and family emergencies and advanced notice of schedules; seven of the eight received majority strong support from participants.
Sixty-nine percent of the voters polled said they support establishing an office to enforce business accountability and 85 percent said they would approve of the city working with community organizations to enforce laws.
“This poll shows that constituents support paid sick days, fair scheduling, a $15/hour minimum wage and other pro worker measures.” Hedges said in a press release. “These measures, including $15, are more popular than the Vikings and clean drinking water. It should be a no brainer.”
Find more information on the poll here.
Reporter Tipheret Peña is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.