IMG_3523-1024x766.jpg
With Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and state Sen. Reggie Thomas looking on, council member Jennifer Mossotti speaks Tuesday in downtown Lexington in support of raising the city's minimum wage.
With Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes and state Sen. Reggie Thomas looking on, council member Jennifer Mossotti speaks Tuesday in downtown Lexington in support of raising the city's minimum wage.
Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes helped lead a rally late Tuesday morning in downtown Lexington for supporters of a push to raise the minimum wage in the city.
The gathering was organized ahead of a meeting by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council’s Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee, which is set to debate the issue — with a possible vote on sending it to the full chamber.
Grimes was joined by other lawmakers and activists in Phoenix Park, where they spoke before a crowd of several dozen supporters holding signs with messages advocating for a hike in base pay.
Grimes told the crowd that most Kentuckians back higher pay for low-wage workers, punctuating her points by leading the crowd in saying: “Raise the wage!”
Grimes was joined by officials including state Sen. Reggie Thomas and others, including leaders with the Fayette County Democratic Party, the NAACP, and the National Organization for Women.
Also present was Jennifer Mossotti, who represents the city’s 9th District and is backing the wage increase proposal.
“Thank you, Jennifer, for your leadership,” Grimes said.
Mossotti’s proposal would phase in the increase over three years, beginning in July. The current minimum wage in the state is $7.25 an hour.
“What do we know?” Mossotti said to the assembled crowd. “We can’t live on a $7.25 minimum wage. What do we know? We know raising it is the right thing to do.”
The ordinance being considered here mirrors initiatives in cities around the country, as well as efforts to raise base wages at the state level. In Kentucky, Louisville has passed a wage ordinance, and Gov. Steve Beshear recently signed an executive order boosting some state workers’ wages to at least $10.10 per hour.
The change at the state level, which will affect only certain executive branch employees, takes place July 1.
The county measure would phase in over three years, but first must be passed by the full council, where it faces an uncertain fate. Indeed business groups have generally opposed the moves.
Commerce Lexington sent its members an email Tuesday morning urging them to get involved and noting the organization has “a long-standing position of opposing local wage mandates that exceed state and federal guidelines.”
Mossotti told the crowd gathered Tuesday in Phoenix Park the path to victory was not assured and urged them to continue their support.
“I need you. I need your friends, I need your neighbors, I need your phone calls,” Mossotti said. “I can’t do it alone.”