POWER Is 'Cautiously Optimistic' Of Mayor Nutter's Executive Order Boosting Minimum Wage

PHILADELPHIA - May 6, 2014 - PRLog -- A step towards victory today for 40+ inter-faith congregations in Philadelphia after nearly four years of protests, prayer rallies, marches and meetings. The leaders of POWER Philadelphia, and their labor allies at SEIU32BJ, are celebrating news reports that Mayor Michael Nutter will sign an Exectuive Order, today, raising the minimum wage requirements for city contractors and subcontractors.  POWER clergy leaders, members of their congregations, and workers who will benefit from this Executive Order, will witness the mayor's signing today at 2pm. POWER will then hold a press conference immediately outside City Hall Room 215 where the media will have the opportunity to hear from clergy leaders and airport workers who will benefit from the new law. "We’re glad that Mayor Nutter has joined the legions of local elected officials across the nation who are tackling growing wealth inequality by raising the minimum wage," says Bishop Dwayne Royster, Executive Director of POWER Philadelphia. "While the Mayor’s Executive order is commendable, it is not a replacement for ballot question #1 which will appear on the May 20th ballot and would, in essence, make this executive order permanent and not easily revoked by future mayors."

Since March, POWER has helped lead a broad coalition of groups which have been calling and knocking on the doors of thousands of unlikely voters to encourage them to go to the polls on May 20th and vote “Yes” on ballot question #1. So far POWER volunteers have connected with nearly 20,000 Philadelphians and have gotten commitments to vote from residents who don’t normally vote in primaries. POWER has been reaching voters through almost daily neighborhood canvasses, and sophisticated phone banking using the new high tech VAN system. POWER volunteers are also taking part in more traditional community mobilization strategies  including house meetings, congregational gatherings, and community forums. There have been announcements during worship services and faith leaders have delivered sermons emphasizing the importance of voting. POWER's success has captured the attention of of it's parent organization the PICO National Network. PICO is viewing POWER's work on Voter Engagement as a model for other affiliates in the network. This week,  two teams of 5-10 PICO National staff members are coming to Philadelphia to study POWER's voter engagement campaign and will use their observations to teach the 40+ other affiliates across the country about best voter outreach practices.

"We will not rest until we convince every unlikely voter in Philadelphia that their vote counts," says Bishop Dwayne Royster, Executive Director of POWER. "As people of diverse faiths, races, and ethnic backgrounds, we are united to ensure our laws and policies and structures serve the poor, not hurt the poor. We do that through the voting booth."

POWER is encouraging voter participation in general. However, POWER's two areas of focus include making sure Pennsylvania's new governor establishes a fair funding formula for our schools (#FullFairFunding). POWER is also campaigning to get voters to vote “yes” on referendum #1 to strengthen the City’s minimum wage law (#YesOnOne). POWER – along with labor local SEIU32BJ and other allies – have been pushing for expansion of the 21^st Century Minimum Wage Standard, which requires a $10.88/hour wage to workers on city contracts. POWER and its partners argue that firms regularly, and unfairly, skirt that requirement by subcontracting out large parts of their contracts. If passed, the referendum would strengthen today's Executive Order signed by the mayor, closing the loopholes, and making the higher wage standard permaneant. .

For more information about  today's press conference & POWER's voter engagement campaign go to http://powerphiladelphia.org or call POWER at (215) 215-232-7697. All media inquiries should be directed to Leslie Patterson-Tyler by calling (609) 247-2632 or email Leslie@TylerMadePR.com.