By Bryson Alford
GSU Signal, 2/26/08
American Civil Liberty Union's Director of Public Policy Benetta M. Standly got everyone suited up and ready last Wednesday morning to lobby their Georgia legislator on issues concerning women.
Standly, along with Cindia Cameron, national organizing director of 9 to 5 (National Association of Working Women), coordinate the "Women in the Halls/By the People" event every Wednesday at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building to make more Georgia women aware of pertinent public policies that have and could seriously hinder their well-being, as well as their families.
The event began with a short training session for new volunteers. Standly gave a little information of how bills become law.
She followed with helpful tips for when they meet with their legislator before they left for the capital. According to Standly, you have to understand the time constraints and work loads of legislators.
"They have thousands of bills introduced to them each session, so be brief, positive and courteous when you speak with them; try to make a personal connection with them as well, so that they can remember you," said Standly.
Proposed House bill 845, introduced by State Representative Doug McKillip and sponsored by Senator Robert Brown, was the focus of Wednesday's conference.
The federal law, enacted last May, will increase minimum wage by 70 cents each year until 2009, when it will be $7.25 an hour. It was the first increase in a decade, when it was increased to $5.15 an hour.
However, the federal law excludes workers in the fishing industry, home health care industry and certain seasonal recreational workers, like people who work at fairs that go from city to city.
Workers who make their income off tips are also excluded. "The federal law covers about 80 to 85 percent of all workers in Georgia," said Cameron.
According to Cameron, the home health care industry is a vastly growing industry, and the policy is detrimental to many women, particularly minority women. They mainly work as sitters for elderly people at their homes.
Women are most likely affected because they make up the majority of workers in the industry, and they are not covered under federal or state minimum wage laws.
"They work for agencies, but they can be paid as little as three or four dollars an hour," said Cameron.
Cameron also noted they are lobbying on behalf of three elements in the proposed House bill.
Firstly, in these excluded industries, "we want to bring the state minimum wage up to match the federal minimum wage, so [people in those industries] can make the same as everyone else," said Cameron.
The bill will also increase the minimum wage of tipped workers, which is currently at $2.13 an hour, to 50% of the federal minimum wage.
Lastly, the bill will index the state's minimum wage to the cost of living. "The minimum wage is not realistic," said Ericka Lewis, Graduate social work student.
According to fact sheets given to volunteers, legislators tie their per diem (daily expenses) to the cost of living, so they already understand the importance of balancing wages to cost of living.
"People can't live quality lives on minimum wage alone. We need to get up to standard on that," said Kim Hoyt, graduate social work student.
Although the minimum wage will increase to $7.25 in 2009, that is still not a livable wage for anyone.
"We know from statistics that minimum wage earners are not teenagers, they are primarily adult workers who have five to ten years experience in the workforce, and in some way trying to support a family on wages that are unrealistically low," said Cameron
A similar version of this bill was first introduced in 2007, after a coalition of progressive organizations brought the issue to Senator Brown's attention, but it died in the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee by one vote.
The bill was introduced again in the House this session by McKillip. It is an active bill in the Industrial Relations Committee, yet it has not been discussed.
"Our goal today is to get them to set a meeting to discuss the bill," said Janna Baker, Graduate social work student.
"Whatever we can do this year will be a small building step towards a lot of public education and coalition building, so that a broad sector of the public will help pass other policies that deal with the working poverty," said Cameron.
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