15 Now

Our Vision for Building the Movement for $15
Social and economic inequality in the US has reached historic proportions. The top 1% increased their income following capitalism’s Great Recession while the overwhelming majority of working people are still struggling or are even worse off than before. We demand social justice and a dignified life for all workers.

The movement for a minimum wage of $15/hour is an expression of this enormous problem of inequality. The support for the fast food workers actions for $15 showed that the aspirations of Occupy to fight against poverty and inequality are alive and growing among millions.

The struggle to raise the minimum wage is a lively and dynamic movement which is developing all across the US. 15 Now is part of this wider movement, open for all to join and fight with us.

Every worker deserves a living wage. The fight for 15 is just the first step towards a living wage. Low-wage jobs are disproportionately held by people of color, women and immigrants so the fight for 15 is also a question of racial, gender and social equality.

We aim to build the widest possible unity in action of labor, community, and social justice organizations.

15 Now is a national organization which aims to build on the victory of a $15 minimum wage in Seattle, achieved through an enormous grassroots effort by low-wage workers and activists. Launched initially by Seattle City Council member and Socialist Alternative activist Kshama Sawant in January 2014, 15 Now has grown to encompass broad support in dynamic and winnable campaigns in many cities across the country, including Portland, OR, Philadelphia and Minneapolis.

Our goal is to empower working people and activate them into fighting movement. We aim to build a network of activists, organized in Action Groups in neighborhoods, on campuses and in workplaces, or through allied trade unions, community and immigrant rights organizations.

This is our vision across the US: People organizing from below can challenge the 1 percent’s domination of economic and political system and change the balance of power in our society. The key to winning is building up the power of working people expressed in their level of organization, consciousness, unity and determination to struggle.

For more information, please visit 15Now.org.

New Campaign Campaigns

  • Solidarity Appeal: Single Mom Fired for Organizing Strike for $15 and a Union
    By Darletta Scruggs I worked as a route coordinator at Brinks on the West side of Chicago since August 2014. Despite being the single mother of a three year old child, I was required to work a minimum of 50 hours a week. I was often told not to leave the building for my lunch break. Brinks pays most of its workers way under $15/hour, and taken away our annual raises, even though the company made $3.5 billion last year. Brinks cut workers' overtime pay last year, even though most workers work up to 16 hour days, often with no breaks. Then earlier this year, they took away workers' earned vacation time, implementing an accrue-as-you-go policy with no compensation for time that workers had saved under the old system. So when I told my co-workers about the April 15th national strike for $15 and a union, they were ready for action. Things got organized in just three days, and a big majority of the drivers and messengers walked out on April 15th! I was targeted and fired just one week after our a successful strike. Management gave no official communication as to why I was fired, but repeatedly intimidated and threatened me for supporting the drive for union recognition. Because I was a dispatcher and paid a salary instead of hourly pay, Brinks labels me as “management” and says I don’t have legal protection to fight for my rights or be represented by a union. But we’ve filed a legal challenge with the NLRB challenging their definition of management and their unjust decision to fire me. Since the strike, a majority of Brinks drivers and messengers have signed union cards, but management refuses to recognize the union or negotiate. Instead they are using the leverage of the economic hardship they can inflict on employees through reduced hours or termination. We must not allow companies like Brinks to just fire someone for speaking up against unfair working conditions or intimidate workers into submission while they pocket millions. We must fight back! Brinks provides service for many banks like Chase and Bank Of America, and large corporations like Walmart and McDonalds, companies known for opposing workers rights. It is time that workers are paid adequately and big businesses are held accountable for worker exploitation and intimidation tactics. That’s why I got active with 15 Now. We need to fight, because MONEY IS NOT MORE VALUABLE THAN HUMAN LIVES!!!
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  • Tell Delta: “Our Voices Will Not Be Silenced”
    The timing of Kip’s termination on December 2nd is no accident. It came in the midst of a national week of action for “$15 and a Union,” and just as three different union drives at Delta, and their subcontractor AirServ, kick into high gear. Over 200 rallied on December 5th at MSP Airport, blocking traffic, to demand $15 and a Union and that Delta re-hire Kip. Delta thinks firing Kip, a leading 15 Now and union activist, will silence other airport workers from standing up for their rights. They couldn’t be more wrong. With your support, and the mobilization of the wider labor movement, Delta’s blatantly illegal and unjust actions will only deepen workers’ resolve to fight for $15/hour and union rights. We call on Delta and the Metropolitan Airport Commission, which governs operations at MSP Airport, to immediately reinstate Kip Hedges and to make clear that these intimidation tactics will not continue. We stand in solidarity with Kip and with all workers fighting for $15 and a union!
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