Jews across US, Twitter rally for $15 minimum wage

Andrew Tobin
Published November 11, 2015

Jews joined fast food workers, union members and politicians at rallies around the country Tuesday to push for raising the federal minimum wage to $15.

Rallies began Tuesday morning in more than 250 cities, part of a “Come Get My Vote” push to make the $15-minimum wage a campaign issue for the 2016 election. The message was echoed on Twitter, with supportive posts, photos and videos from the rallies promoted with #FightFor15.

Among braving the rain was Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who held a rally for the cause in Washington, D.C.

New York City Councilman Brad Lander tweeted from an early morning rally in downtown Brooklyn, alongside his rabbi, Ellen Lippman of Kolot Chayeinu, and his daughter.

City Comptroller Scott Stringer took his turn at the Brooklyn podium.

Several Jewish organizations joined the politicians in Brooklyn for the rally. Labor Zionist youth group Habonim Dror, marched with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, the Jewish Labor Committee and the Workmen’s Circle.

The Workmen’s Circle, a Jewish labor group, won some online attention, for both its Hebrew sashes and its younger generation of supporters.

Jews for Economic and Racial Justice tweeted from Brooklyn about economic inequality, one of its key issues.

Jewish women’s organizations, including the National Council of Jewish Women, highlighted the disparate impact low-wage jobs have on women and their families.

In a local victory for demonstrators, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in the afternoon plans to unilaterally set a $15 minimum wage for all state workers. Earlier this year, a wage board commissioned by Cuomo recommended that fast food workers at big chains be paid at least $15 an hour.

In San Diego, Rabbi Laurie Coskey of the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice’s addressed a rally. In Minnesota Vic Rosenthal and Carin Mrotz of Jewish Community Action tweeted their support for raising the minimum wage.

Many shared a graphic created by Bend the Arc.

In Boston, The New England Jewish Labor Committee joined forces with the Boston Workmen’s Circle Center, Moishe Kavod House Boston, the Jewish Alliance for Law & Social Action, JOIN for Justice and Habonim Dror North America, as part of an efforts coordinated under the umbrella of the Wage Action movement.

Non-Jewish politicians, like Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, also threw their Twitter support behind the rallies.

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