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Workers
share
pay woes
with
U.S.
Secretary
of Labor
Tom
Perez
hears
details
of daily
living
struggles
in
Detroit,
and of
calls
for a
$15
hourly
wage
DETROIT,
MI –
Alicia
Robertson’s
current
situation?
Besides
earning
less
than
$200 a
week
through
her
low-wage
job at
Dollar
Tree,
the
mother
of 3 is
homeless
and
being
forced
to live
in her
car as
she
struggles
to buy
clothes
for her
children.
“It’s
hard not
to be
able to
put
clothes
on your
children,”
said
Robertson,
choking
back
tears.
“It’s
hard
sleeping
in your
car, not
knowing
where
you’re
going to
wake
up.”
Robertson
was
among
ten
low-wage
workers
who
shared
his or
her
personal
story
Tuesday
with
U.S.
Secretary
of Labor
Tom
Perez.
The
roundtable
discussion,
which
took
place at
Central
United
Methodist
Church
in
Detroit,
included
retail,
fast
food,
homecare
and
childcare
workers.
Perez
was
joined
by
Detroit
Mayor
Mike
Duggan
and SEIU
Healthcare
Michigan
President
Marge
Robinson.
Secretary
Perez
said
that
Tuesday’s
discussion
was
“about
the
unfinished
business”
of
building
prosperity
for all.
He
likened
the
nationwide
campaign
for a
$15
hourly
wage and
the
right to
form a
union
without
interference---first
initiated
by fast
food
workers
two
years
ago in
New
York---
to the
civil
rights
movement
led by
the late
Dr.
Martin
Luther
King
III.
“The
Fight
for
Fifteen
is more
than a
number,”
said
Perez.
“It’s a
movement
to make
sure we
have a
livable
wage.”
Pamela
Gillian-Baston
reminded
the
group
that
homecare
workers
take
care of
society’s
most
vulnerable
citizens,
but
don’t
earn a
living
wage.
“I’d
like to
one day
have
someone
take
care of
me, and
be able
to take
care of
themselves,”
she
said.
Perez
also
heard
details
from
workers
who said
they
have
been
empowered
by being
involved
with the
D15
campaign
for $15
and a
union.
“I’m
fighting
not only
for
better
wages,”
noted
Terry
Tarrant,
a
McDonald’s
worker,
“but
because
fast
food
workers
deserve
a voice
and to
be
heard.
They
shouldn’t
have to
choose
between
a light
bill and
a water
bill.”
Tuesday’s
event
included
the D15
campaign,
the
national
protest
that has
spread
to more
than 250
cities
and to
multiple
industries
such as
healthcare
and
higher
education.
Seattle,
San
Francisco
and
Oakland
recently
raised
their
minimum
wage to
$15 an
hour.
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