Hospital and Nursing Home Workers in the Sunshine State Joined the “Fight for $15” National Day of Action to Demand a Living Wage of $15 an Hour



On November 10th, over 2,000 underpaid, hard-working Floridians took the streets to say they’re tired of not being able to support their families with their wages. In more than 20 cities throughout the sunshine state, Floridians came together to demand action from state legislators and presidential candidates to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. CLICK HERE to see our photo album.



Underpaid workers who serve fast food, educate and care for children, care for seniors and people living with disabilities, help tourists at airports and hotels, teach students in higher education and many others, took the streets in unprecedented numbers to make sure the voices of Florida’s workers and voters were heard loud and clear. This year, hundreds of hospital and nursing home workers joined them as well.



Lillie Solomon, who has been working at a nursing home in Miami for 40 years, only makes $10 an hour and has to complement her wages with her social security to cover her basic needs. “Hear me out, hear my cry, I need more money,” says Lillie to Al Jazeera America.



A recent United Way report concluded that Floridians need $15 an hour just to make ends meet as 45 percent - or 3.2 million - of all households in this state can’t afford basic housing, child care, food, health care and transportation. The last time the minimum wage was increased in Florida was in January when it went up a pathetic 12 cents to $8.05. An increase is clearly long overdue.



As attention on the presidential primaries grows, Florida’s working families and voters sent a clear message asking the candidates to take the Fight for $15 to the Ballot Box in 2016. Floridians also called on state lawmakers to support the $15 minimum wage legislation, SB6 and HB109, which should be debated and voted on in January during Florida’s legislative session. They also demanded local elected officials to pass living wage ordinances.



“Too many hard working Floridians don’t earn enough to support their families, while wages have remained stagnant for years. It’s time for our politicians to raise the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour, and push fair wages for all of Florida’s working families who are way overdue for an increase,” said Monica Russo, President of SEIU Florida. “SEIU Florida has pledged to exclusively endorse and make contributions to candidates who agree to support the fight for $15, and we are determined to turn out voters who will demand a living wage at the polls in 2016.”



Recent polls show that 65% of Florida voters support raising the minimum wage, which would help thousands of families out of poverty and restore our country’s middle class.