Braving the heatwave sweeping the eastern US, thousands of workers marched in Richmond on Saturday chanting: “If you want our vote, come get our vote!”
That was the overarching message of the first national Fight for $15 convention, which was held just weeks after both Democrats and Republicans held their conventions to nominate their candidates for the next US president.
At the convention, the attending low-wage workers unanimously decided to push political candidates to commit to raising US wages, agreed to hold a national day of action on 12 September, and resolved to demonstrate at all presidential and vice-presidential debates.
Additionally, the workers said they would support ballot initiatives to raise minimum wage in cities and states.
— Mary Kay Henry (@MaryKayHenry) August 13, 2016
#FightFor15 workers chanting "If you want our vote, come get our vote!" pic.twitter.com/teAbIaZUwy
The convention in Richmond – the former capital of the Confederacy – was organized to draw focus to the links between economic and racial justice. About half of Richmond’s population is black and about 25% of Richmond’s residents live in poverty, compared with the 14.8% poverty rate across the US.
Overall, about 16.8% of black Americans and 21.4% of Hispanic Americans are low-wage workers, compared with 8.6% of white Americans. The unemployment rate among black people is 8.4%, compared with a 4.3% rate among white people.
Organizers expected between 3,000 to 4,000 people, 95% of whom were Latino or black, to attend the convention this weekend. About three in four attendees were black, representing not just the fast-food workers who have led protests for months, but also nursing assistants, teachers, cafeteria workers and home care assistants.
“People who work for fast-food corporations like McDonald’s led the way, but the Fight for $15 is now for everyone,” said Derick Smith, an adjunct faculty member at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
The Rev William Barber II, who delivered a keynote speech at the convention after workers marched for an hour in 97F heat, framed the meeting in even broader terms. “It took us 400 years from slavery to the present to reach $7.25, but that was far too long, and we can’t wait,” he said. “We have to stand together and fight together now for $15 and union rights.”
This July marked seven years since the last wage hike, since when the federal minimum wage has stayed frozen at $7.25. Americans working full-time, earning $7.25 an hour bring home about $290 a week before taxes.
In 2014, there were almost 3 million workers who earned minimum wage or less an hour, according to the US Department of Labor. However, there are about 64 million workers who earn less than $15 an hour. This election cycle, these workers intend to use their votes to elect politicians that support a higher minimum wage, like those passed recently in New York and California. Both states have passed legislation that would incrementally raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2021.
One of the driving forces and funders of the campaign, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), endorsed Hillary Clinton in November 2015. On Friday, its president, Mary Kay Henry, called for both white and black working class Americans to unite and fight for an economy that benefits everyone.
“Building this unity is especially important this year, with this election. We all know that one of the candidates for president is trying to divide us in dangerous and sometimes frightening ways,” Henry said, avoiding the name of Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has variously advocated an end to the federal minimum wage, increased wages and positions in between.
Yet like the Democratic and Republican pageants, the workers’ convention saw dissent and interruptions. In the past couple of months, some of the Fight for $15 organizers have asked SEIU to recognize them as employees, which would make them eligible for its workers union, Union for Union Representatives (UUR).
Minutes into Henry’s speech, a small crowd gathered in front of the stage. One of the workers held up a sign that read: “$15 minimum wage and union rights for all means [Fight for $15] organizers, too!” As the crowd began to chant “Fight for $15”, Henry was forced to stop her speech.
One of the workers who had been with Henry stepped up to the microphone: “I am out here fighting and you are going to do this right now?”
A worker to her right yelled at the protesting group: “Two hundred dollars! My weekly check isn’t enough for us to take care of our families. And you are doing this to us? You don’t know what it’s like to be a fast-food worker.”
Another worker jumped off the stage and walked over to the protesters. He climbed up on the table, grabbed the sign and ripped it apart, throwing the pieces of paper to the ground.
— Jana Kasperkevic (@kasperka) August 12, 2016
A few moments later, Henry resumed her speech, but by the end of the evening, SEIU had issued a statement noting that regional unions “whose staff are not yet organized have reached out to interested unions to offer a fast and fair process to determine whether organizers wish to be represented by a union.
“SEIU fully supports that approach,” read the statement.
Shaneka Kellam, 33, listened to Henry from the back, well aware of what it is like trying to survive on less than $300 a week. She makes about $8 an hour working as a nursing assistant and brings home about $517 after taxes every two weeks. Her monthly rent is $750, not including electricity, gas or water. After she pays those bills, she has to figure out how to feed her family with the money that’s left over.
“I definitely need to fight for $15,” she said. “How else can I take care of six kids?”
A single mother, she held her youngest child in her arms as two of her kids jumped around her, joining Henry and the rest of the convention hall in the chant of “I believe that we can win!”
The hall was full of children of various ages. Toddlers could be spotted in various corners of the convention center crawling on the floor or waving at passersby from their mothers’ arms. There was no Donald Trump to kick them out or mock their mothers.
Kellam brought her children with her to make a statement. “They need their mama to get $15,” she said.
Asked who she will be voting for come November, she said: “I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton, of course.”
