Proposition 32 gains ground with major endorsements from editorial boards, Democratic Party, labor and social justice organizations

Proposition 32, which seeks to raise California’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2025, is gaining significant momentum,a ccording to a statement from Prop 32.

Major editorial boards across the state, the California Democratic Party, and a growing coalition of labor and social justice organizations — including One Fair Wage, United Farm Workers and the California Working Families Party — have endorsed the measure. It stands to benefit more than 2 million workers, providing critical relief as California voters continue to prioritize the cost of living crisis as a top issue in the 2024 election.

Joe Sanberg, a California-based entrepreneur and anti-poverty advocate who initiated the ballot question said, “California’s working people need wages that allow them to meet life’s basic needs, and for too many — especially women who are heads of household — making under $18 an hour just isn’t cutting it. This is about fairness and dignity for the millions who keep the economy running.”

Jane Kim, California Director of the Working Families Party, highlighted the importance of this issue among voters in California, said, “In a state with the fastest growing wealth inequality and some of the highest rents in the nation, a wage increase isn’t just morally imperative — it’s also a powerful driver for turnout, helping to support the progressive candidates we back, who are committed to making life more affordable and equitable for working families across the state.”

Lorena Gonzalez, Chief Officer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO also pointed to the growing enthusiasm among California voters: “Proposition 32 is about more than just numbers on a paycheck. It’s about ensuring that every worker in California, no matter their job or where they live, is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. No one should work full-time and still struggle to make ends meet. Raising the minimum wage to $18 is the least we can do for our working families who are struggling to afford rent, food, bills, and prescriptions.”

Key endorsements from major editorial boards

• San Francisco Chronicle: “When wages aren’t enough to survive in California’s cheapest county, something has to change.”
• Los Angeles Times: “Proposition 32 would give the state’s lowest-paid workers a modest raise, benefiting 11-17% of California’s workforce. This is a reasonable and necessary measure in the face of skyrocketing living costs.”
• Sacramento Bee: “Proposition 32 levels the playing field for workers across regions, particularly where local officials have not acted to boost wages. It’s an equitable and necessary measure for California.”

Organizational endorsements include the California Democratic Party, California Labor Federation, California Working Families Party, Courage California, San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters, One Fair Wage Action Fund, Our Revolution, SEIU California, and UNITE HERE Local 11.

According to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office Report on The Minimum Wage, many of the state’s largest low-wage occupations — such as home health aides and cashiers — are filled by workers who continue to struggle as wages lag behind soaring living costs. Proposition 32 will directly lift the wages of more than 2 million workers, raising their pay and helping them keep up with inflation.