Summary
<p>On Tuesday, June 16, the Omaha City Council will hold a public hearing on Councilmember Danny Begley’s proposal to ensure that Omaha residents are paid a fair wage by restoring the protections the state legislature removed this year.</p>
<p>This hearing builds on the momentum from the Lincoln City Council’s action in May to reestablish what Nebraskans voted for in 2022. Nearly 60% of Nebraskans and 70% of Omaha voters approved a ballot measure to increase Nebraska’s minimum wage and to ensure our wages continue to grow as the cost of living increases. Unfortunately, during this past state legislative session, state lawmakers rolled back these popular wage protections in two harmful ways: (1) they <em><strong>created a subminimum wage for youth workers</strong></em>, who often are working to provide vital income for their families, and (2) they r<em><strong>estricted the annual wage adjustments to 1.75%</strong></em> — all but ensuring that Nebraska’s wages over time will once again fail to keep pace with rising costs..</p>
<p>Councilmember Begley’s proposed ordinance would reestablish the wage laws that Omaha voters widely supported by ensuring youth workers are paid a fair wage and removing the harmful cap on annual cost of living increases for workers in Omaha.</p>
<p>We need to send an emphatic message to the Omaha City Council. They must uphold the will of Omaha voters, reinstate the critical wage protections we passed in 2022, and protect the right of Omaha workers to earn a fair wage by supporting this ordinance. Please email your Omaha City Councilmember today to make your voice heard!</p>
