Advocates say the numbers don’t lie: a majority of Chicagoans want to see a minimum wage hike in Illinois.
“Nothing gets done without workers.”
Leaders with the non-profit One Fair Wage have released polling that shows 66 percent of Chicago voters are in favor of gradually raising the minimum wage in Illinois to $30 an hour for all workers, including those who receive tips.
Richard Rodriguez is the group’s National Policy Director.
“This is not a partisan issue, it’s a people issue. Across race, gender and political lines, Americans are saying they can’t afford to live on poverty wages anymore.”
One of those supporters is a local waitress named Annalise.
“Everybody in this industry is in it for a reason. We love what we do, we care about what we do and we care about our communities. We just want to be able to live.”
Several Chicago business owners also voiced their support for the change, and said it would help alleviate affordability concerns for all residents.
One Fair Wage leaders say they’re in talks with some Democratic state lawmakers about taking the discussion to Springfield.