Politics & Government

Minimum Wage, Sick Time, Could Be On Next Ballot

The group has two high-profile supporters in the state.

Advocacy group Raise Up Massachusetts said in a statement Wednesday they have submitted two potential ballot questions to Attorney General Martha Coakley for the 2014 ballot.

The ballot questions concern a raise in the minimum wage and access to earned sick time for state workers, respectively.

Raise Up Massachusetts touted some high-profile supporters for their measures in their Wednesday statement. They said Sen. Elizabeth Warren is the lead petitioner for the minimum wage question while Sen. Edward Markey is leading the effort for earned sick time.

"Hardworking men and women who are busting their tails in full-time jobs shouldn't be left in poverty," Warren said in the statement. "It’s long past time to raise the minimum wage, which will help Massachusetts’ working families and strengthen our economy."

"Providing an earned sick-time policy for all workers, in addition to raising the state’s minimum wage, will benefit Massachusetts as a whole," Markey added in the statement.

Coakley must approve the ballot questions, at which time Raise Up Massachusetts said the Secretary of State will provide petition forms that must be submitted by Dec. 4.

Raise Up Massachusetts said they are "already gearing up to collect 200,000 signatures to place these two measures before Massachusetts voters." 

The Attorney General's website has a running list here of ballot questions that have been submitted.


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