On September 15, the Olympia City Council’s Finance Committee introduced a fast-tracked plan to increase the minimum wage by 25-50% by the end of this year. The Council also plans to consider additional items from local unions’ undated Workers’ Bill of Right in 2025. However, local small businesses and nonprofits have expressed strong opposition to the proposal.
Councilmember Cooper first introduced the Workers’ Bill of Right concepts in 2015, modeling it after Seattle’s initiative at that time. He cited renewed interest following a Workers’ Summit in July. While the proposal is framed as part of the city’s Olympia Strong Initiative, none of the initiative’s four focus areas outlined in the initiative’s summary booklet align with the items in the current proposal, raising questions about the timing and intent.
On October 1, the Thurston County Chamber and the Thurston Economic Development Council hosted a meeting with over 100 small business and nonprofit representatives, all concerned about the potential impact of the wage hike. In an Olympian Op-Ed co-signed by several prominent nonprofits Chris Wells, Executive Director of the United Way of Thurston County, argued that while Olympia faces an affordability crisis, raising the minimum wage could unintentionally cause “significant collateral damage across the local economy.”
For updates on grassroots responses, please contact Rose Gundersen, VP of Operations and Retail Services, or Crystal Leatherman, Director of Local and State Government Affairs.
