NEWS

One Fair Wage Action: Endorses pro-worker candidates across the U.S., committed to raising the minimum wage and ending the subminimum wage for tipped workers

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Washington, D.C. — Today, One Fair Wage Action proudly announces its endorsement of a slate of pro-worker candidates across the country. Following the organization’s recent support of Kamala Harris for President, these candidates—from Arizona to Michigan to New York—are committed to raising the minimum wage and ending the federal subminimum wage of just $2.13 an hour, a poverty-level wage that leaves tipped and service workers struggling in one of the nation’s fastest-growing, yet lowest-paid sectors.

As families across the nation struggle with rising costs, One Fair Wage Action’s coalition of over 300,000 service workers, employers, and allies are mobilizing to amplify the call for living wages. In key battleground states like Michigan and Pennsylvania, the organization will focus on reaching voters who are demanding economic justice and solutions to the cost-of-living crisis.

“These candidates understand the need to challenge corporate interests that have long held back meaningful wage reform,” said Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage Action. “For years, powerful lobbying groups have fought to preserve the subminimum wage for tipped workers at just $2.13 an hour, forcing millions of tipped and service workers, who are overwhelmingly women and people of color, to suffer from the highest rates of economic instability and sexual harassment of any industry. These candidates are committed to putting a stop to this practice and ensuring that every worker is paid fairly and with dignity. By electing leaders who prioritize fair wages over corporate profits, we can finally create an economy that values the contributions of all workers—not just those at the top.”

“For too long, well-funded interests have blocked progress on fair wages,” Jayaramancontinued. “These candidates bring a commitment to meaningful change from within the system. They understand the urgent need to address the imbalance that keeps so many workers struggling to make ends meet. One Fair Wage Action is mobilizing to ensure that these voices are heard, so that workers themselves drive this change at the polls.”

Endorsed Candidates Include:

Arizona: Ruben Gallego (U.S. Senate), Mariana Sandoval (State Rep.), Junelle Cavero (AZ-11), Oscar De Los Santos (AZ-11)
California: Rose Penelope Yee (CA-1), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Rudy Salas (CA-22), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), David Kim (CA-34), Stephen Houlahan (CA-48)
Illinois: Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
Massachusetts: Leigh Davis (3rd District State Rep.), Natalie Higgins (4th District State Rep.)
Michigan: Elissa Slotkin (U.S. Senate), Carl Marlinga (MI-10)
Nevada: Steven Horsford (NV-4)
New York: Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), John Avlon (NY-01), Rob Lubin (NY-02), Grace Meng (NY-06), Andrea Morse (NY-11), John Mannion (NY-22)
Wisconsin: Rebecca Cooke (WI-03)