OUR MISSION

The Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County (LWC) was formally established
in the fall of 2000. We are a broad-based coalition endorsed by over sixty
labor, religious, and community-based organizations in the North Bay. The
main purpose of the coalition is to address the problem of growing income
inequality and working poverty in our community. The mission statement
adopted by the coalition is:

"The Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County believes that the dignity of
all work demands just wages to meet today's living costs. A 'living wage'
includes income and benefits sufficient for basic housing, health care,
child care, nutrition, transportation, education and retirement. To this end,
the LWC is focused on educating our entire community about the necessity
of legislating living wages to foster a better society."

The primary goal of the coalition is to implement Living Wage Ordinances
that require that cities, counties, service contractors, and firms receiving
economic assistance from local government must pay their employees a living
wage and provide health benefits.

Our coalition is part of a rapidly spreading nationwide movement. More than
150 cities and counties have passed Living Wage Ordinances. In California,
San Diego, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Pasadena, West Hollywood, Santa
Barbara, the City and County of Ventura, Port Hueneme, Berkeley, Oakland,
the Port of Oakland, Richmond, Emeryville, San Leandro, Hayward, the City
and County of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, San Jose, San Francisco, Pittsburg,
Sacramento, Fairfax and the County of Marin have implemented living wage
legislation.

The coalition intends to propose Living Wage Ordinances to municipalities
throughout the region and to the County of Sonoma. Currently, the the cities of
Sebastopol, Sonoma, and Petaluma have passed Living Wage Ordinances.
Further, we believe the LWC can bring together diverse constituencies in the
county to advocate for local economic development policies to end low-wage poverty
and to promote equity, economic opportunity, and a sustainable regional economy.


Living Wage Coalition Co-Chairs and Coordinating Committee:
Cindy Thomas (Petaluma)
David Walls (Sebastopol)
Marty Bennett (Sonoma)
Paul Kaplan (Rohnert Park)
Matt Myres (Windsor/Healdsburg)
Bonnie Petty (Santa Rosa)

Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County Timeline and Accomplishments

1998

Living Wage proponent and economist Dr. Robert Pollin is the keynote speaker and leads a workshop at the first annual Labor and Social Action Summer School at Sonoma State

1999

Living Wage Coalition launched by labor, faith, environmental and community-based organizations at the second annual Labor and Social Action Summer School.

2000

Living Wage Coalition and North Bay Labor Council lobby the Petaluma City Council to include Living Wage ($10.00 an hour) and 'card-check/neutrality' provisions in the development agreement for the Petaluma Sheraton.

2001

Forum to kick-off Sonoma Living Wage campaign attended by 200 in Santa Rosa City Council chambers and Dr. Stephanie Luce is the featured speaker.

Santa Rosa City Council refuses to study proposed living wage ordinance for Santa Rosa.

2002

Living Wage Coalition supports organizing campaign by Sonoma IHSS (In-Home Support Services) workers who win union recognition (SEIU Local 250) and first contract.

2003

City of Sebastopol Living Wage Ordinance passed 5-0  ($11.70 an hour with benefits and $13.20 without) after one-year campaign.

Living Wage Coalition and UNITEHERE 2850 successfully lobby Petaluma City Council to turn down a request by the new owners of the Petaluma Sheraton that would void labor provisions in the development agreement.

Living Wage Coalition supports organizing campaign by City of Santa Rosa parking lot attendants who win recognition (SEIU Local 707) and win first contract (2004)

Living Wage Coalition supports organizing campaign by workers at Sonoma Valley Health Care Worker Organizing who win recognition (SEIU UHW) in 2004.

2004

Living Wage Coalition participates in a coalition of community organizations that defeats proposed expansion of the Petaluma Outlet Mall.

City of Sonoma Living Wage Ordinance passed 3-2 ($11.70 an hour with benefits and $13.20 without) after 18-month campaign.

Graton Day Labor Center adopts $12.00 an hour base wage for hiring construction day labors dispatched by the center.

2005

Living Wage Coalition participates in an affordable housing coalition that proposes a Jobs-Housing Linkage Fee passed by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

Living Wage Coalition successfully lobbies Petaluma City Council to drop city contractor Empire Waste Management for anti-union campaign against workers seeking to affiliate with Operating Engineers Local 3.

Living Wage Coalition supports organizing campaign by workers at the Petaluma Sheraton who win recognition (UNITEHERE 2850) and a first contract (2006).

2006

City of Petaluma Living Wage Ordinance passed 6-0 and all candidates for the City Council support the proposed legislation that becomes a major election issue.

Living Wage Coalition successfully lobbies Community Action Partnership of Sonoma board members to increase wages and benefits for Head Start childcare workers represented by SEIU Local 1021.

Living Wage Coalition participates in Accountable Development Coalition (ADC) that proposes a Jobs-Housing Linkage Fee implemented by the City of Rohnert Park.

Living Wage Coalition participates in ADC that proposes Jobs-Housing Linkage Fee implemented by the City of Cotati.

Living Wage Coalition participates in ADC that successfully lobbied the SMART (Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit) board for comprehensive 'community benefits' for a commuter train station in downtown Santa Rosa at Railroad Square including a Living Wage for SMART contractors ($11.50 an hour with benefits), a Project Labor Agreement, Green Building, and Affordable Housing.

Living Wage Coalition and North Bay Labor Coalition participate in a coalition of labor and community organizations that oppose a proposed Wal-Mart store in Southwest Santa Rosa and file a lawsuit challenging the EIR.

2007

Living Wage Coalition supports organizing drive by bus drivers for Petaluma city contractor MV Transportation who win union recognition (Amalgamated Transport Workers Local 1575) and first contract (2009).

2008

Living Wage Coalition participates in the Transportation Coalition that wins passage of a two-county sales tax measure to fund the SMART train.

Living Wage Coalition makes the Living Wage a major campaign issue for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors races and the three winning candidates all publicly declare their support (Zane, Brown, and Carrillo).

Living Wage Coalition and Marin Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice (IWJ) lobby Marin County Board of Supervisors to amend the Marin Living Wage Ordinance (passed in 2002) to eliminate the two-tier wage provision for In-Home Support Services (IHSS) workers represented by SEIU UHW, and to ensure health care coverage, and a COLA (all IHSS will make $11.55 an hour with benefits).

City of Petaluma passes Community Impact Report 5-2 (CIR) after 18-month campaign and CIR becomes a major election issue supported by three successful City Council candidates (Glass, Healy, Renee).

2009

Living Wage Coalition and North Bay Labor Council and other community organizations sponsor a successful forum and initiate a campaign in support of the Employee Free Choice Act (EPCA).

Sonoma County Superior Court rules in favor of Santa Rosa opponents of a proposed Wal-Mart in Southwest Santa Rosa. Wal-Mart announces the company will abandon plans for a new store.

Living Wage Coalition participates in advisory panel to choose consultant to complete an economic development plan for the City of Petaluma.

Living Wage Coalition and other organizations form coalition to oppose proposed Wal-Mart supercenter in Rohnert Park

LIVING WAGE COALITION OF SONOMA COUNTY
Phone: (707) 623-7395
Email: livingwagesoco@gmail.com

PO Box 427
Santa Rosa, CA 95402


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