Voters celebrate influencing Village Board to keep Paid Sick Days and Minimum Wage

Media Contact:
Shelly Ruzicka, Arise Chicago
773-251-5003 I [email protected] I @AriseChicago

The La Grange Working Families Committee will rally and announce the victory to keep paid sick days and the county minimum wage in the Village of La Grange.

Nearly two-thirds of La Grange voters supported paid sick days and an increased minimum wage in 2016 and 2014 non-binding ballot referendums, respectively. Cook County passed two ordinances with these protections in 2016. When La Grange considered taking away both protections in its municipality, community members formed the La Grange Working Families Committee to fight to keep them.

After meetings with local officials and a planned protest at Monday, March 13th’s Village Board meeting, the committee heard from the Village President that La Grange and would now be keeping paid sick days and the minimum wage.

The La Grange Working Families Committee will rally, march, and thank the Village Board for keeping La Grange a thriving, healthy community.

What: La Grange voters, families, workers, and religious leaders who make up the La Grange Working Families Committee will march to Village Hall to speak at the board meeting and thank the La Grange Village Board for keeping paid sick days and the county minimum wage
Where: March starting at First Congregational Church, 100 6th Ave., La Grange
Press conference at La Grange Village Hall: 53 S. La Grange Rd., La Grange
When: 7:00 pm march; 7:10 pm press conference
Who: La Grange Working Families Committee: local voters, families, workers, and religious leaders; Arise Chicago
Visuals: Committee members marching and rallying with colorful signs and giant thermometers at 73%

Background:
Cook County passed a Paid Sick Days Ordinance on October 5, 2016, becoming the largest county in the U.S. with such legislation; and a Minimum Wage Ordinance on October 26, 2016, joining the growing national movement for local employment legislation. Both ordinances will go into effect on July 1, 2017.

La Grange voters overwhelmingly support paid sick days, with 73% voting in favor of such legislation in a November 8, 2016, non-binding ballot referendum. Similarly, in November 2014, 72% of La Grange voters favored increasing the minimum wage in a non-binding referendum.

On February 13, 2017, the La Grange Village Board presented an ordinance to take away these rights, prompting the creation by local residents of the La Grange Working Families Committee. The Committee, made up of local workers, residents, voters, and religious leaders called on the Village Board to protect La Grange workers, community members, and public health. On Saturday, March 11th, the committee was informed by Village President Tom Livingston by email that the Village would keep paid sick days and the minimum wage.

The Committee will rally to thank their local officials, celebrate community action making positive change in La Grange, and demonstrating an example of to other Cook County suburbs.

La Grange residents and voters will be available for interview.
Contact Shelly Ruzicka to arrange additional interviews.

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