Left Leaning Group’s Poll Shows Big Support For $15 Minimum Wage

Community-labor coalition Fair Shot for All pledges to mobilize Oregonians to stand up for key policies in the 2015 session and beyond

Portland, Ore. – Fair Shot for All today released the results of two recent polls demonstrating strong support among likely voters both nationwide and in Oregon for policies that provide real opportunity for working families.

National Results:

The first poll, conducted by Lake Research Partners, found overwhelming support across age, gender and party lines among likely voters for paid sick days, equal pay for equal work and other policies that are necessary for today’s workforce to thrive.

Key findings from the national survey of 800 likely 2016 voters (fielded from January 12-14, 2015) include:
•88 percent of all voters, 74 percent of Republicans and 96 percent of independents support ensuring all workers earn paid sick days.

•By more than 2:1, voters favor state-level action on work/family policies if the federal government fails to act.
“Last week, the President called in his State of the Union for all workers to earn paid sick days and family leave – and it’s clear the President has the strong support of the American electorate on these issues,” said David Mermin, partner at Lake Research Partners. “Our recent poll reveals American voters’ strong, bipartisan support for equal pay, paid sick days and other policies that support working families.”

Oregon Results:

The second poll, conducted by GBA Strategies, found clear support among Oregon voters for proposals that support working families.

Key findings from the Oregon poll (conducted by phone on December 3-8, 2014 with a statistically representative sample of 1,000 likely Oregon voters) include:
•By a 16-point margin, a majority of Oregonians support raising the minimum wage to $15.

•67 percent of Oregon voters (including a majority of Republican voters and at least 65 percent of likely voters in every region of the state) support requiring all employers in Oregon to provide 7 paid sick days to their employees.

•79 percent of likely Oregon voters favor a voluntary retirement system for workers who do not have a pension or other employer-sponsored retirement account.
“Over the last few years, we have seen these same trends in dozens of polls and focus groups in Oregon,” said Michael Bocian, founding partner at GBA Strategies. “It’s clear that Oregonians are looking for leaders to deliver on policies that create opportunities for income growth and economic security.”

Memos summarizing the results of both polls are available for download: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6u7t027mafi2h1z/AAAX9EX2ewA60d1u0CECJ9Eya?dl=0

A campaign to provide opportunity to every Oregonian

Earlier this month, community and labor organizations from across Oregon launched Fair Shot for All, a new coalition that is supporting solutions to create economic opportunity for Oregon’s working families.

The coalition’s priorities include:
•Raising the minimum wage;

•Ensuring all Oregonians earn paid sick days;

•Ending profiling;

•Making saving for retirement easier; and

•Creating opportunities for people with prior convictions and arrests to find work.
“Together, we are mobilizing Oregonians in communities across the state and giving a voice to those who need a fair shot,” said Heather Conroy, Executive Director for coalition member SEIU Local 503. “We are standing up for key policies in the 2015 session, but the fight doesn’t end there—we will continue working on the ground to make sure that lawmakers hear from the strong majority of voters who clearly support these issues.”

Fair Shot for All includes Family Forward Oregon, SEIU, the Urban League of Portland, Oregon AFL-CIO, Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon Education Association, CAUSA, Basic Rights Oregon, PCUN, UFCW, Rural Organizing Project, AFSCME, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Oregon Action, and an ever-growing coalition from across Oregon.

To learn more, visit www.fairshotoregon.org

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