About us...
The Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage in the City of Greensboro is many things: a citizens initiative allowed by Greensboro's city charter, a peoples movement for social change, an experiment in grassroots democracy, and an effort for a greater measure of economic justice. At it's core, though, it is a group of folks who have the common belief that communities should have the power to agree upon and enact basic standards for those things that effect the life and well-being of its members.
In an effort to act upon this belief, the Greensboro Minimum Wage Committee was formed to increase the minimum wage in the city of Greensboro. Initially, the Committee sought to raise the minimum wage to $9.36/hour in 2006, this amount equals the purchasing power of the minimum wage in 1968. Of course, that was before gas was $4.00 a gallon, so we have adjusted our figures to reflect that and will continue to do so until the minimum wage is raised accordingly.
The Committee has leveraged a process called a Citizens Initiative Petition. The Greensboro City Charter allows that if a citizens committee gathers signatures from registered voters that amount to 25% of those who voted in the previous city election, then the proposed ordinance goes to the City Council. The City Council can decide to enact the ordinance into law, or it must put it to the public directly for a vote. [You can review the full petition process on the City's website. Also, the City will provide a hard copy of the Charter provisions upon request.]
[Pictured above, Ed Whitfield, Fahiym Hanna and others present over 6,400 petition signatures to the City of Greensboro in support of raising the minimum wage. Photo by Daniel Bayer.]
While using the Citizens Initiative Petition has been one piece of the organizing strategy, as Jim Boyett, a key initiator of this effort, often reminds us, raising the minimum wage is ultimately a "political issue." So while we've gathered signatures, we've also been working to organize a people's movement for social change.
As Fahiym, one of our key field organizers, says, "Come on out, 'cause it's your movement." Learn more about how to get involved.
