Women Clergy, Workers and Community Leaders:
Raising the Minimum Wage Is a Women’s Issue
Celebrating International Women’s Day with a Call for Higher Wages
Naperville, IL – On Thursday, March 6, at 1 p.m., a group of women faith and community leaders will come together to amplify the call for an increase in the federal minimum wage. Representing different groups, the women leaders will host a press conference in celebration of International Women’s Day and in honor of all the women who make up about two-thirds of our nation’s minimum wage earners.
Like many minimum wage earners across the country, DuPage county minimum wage workers struggle to pay for basic needs like rent and food, and are often forced to rely on charity and government assistance to make ends meet.
A minimum wage earner would have to work 98 hours per week or more than two full-time jobs to be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment. The poverty rate in DuPage County has grown to 6.5 percent in 2009 from 3.6 percent a decade earlier.
An increase in the minimum wage will improve the quality of life and provide access to basic resources to workers in low-wage jobs that are disproportionately filled by women.
WHAT: Women workers, worker advocates, faith and community leaders host a press conference on the push for an increase in the federal minimum wage.
WHO:
- The Rev. Elizabeth Bowes, Glen Ellyn First United Methodist Church
- Sister Kathleen Desautels, SP, 8th Day Center – Chicago
- The Rev. Emmy Lou Belcher, Du Page Unitarian Universalist Church
- Sister Mary Kay Flanagan, OSF, 8th Day Center – Chicago
- The Rev. Lisa Telomen, Grace United Methodist Church
- Sister Dorothy Pagosa, SSJ-TOSF, 8th Day Center – Chicago
- Sister Gwen Farry, BVM, 8th Day Center – Chicago
WHEN: Thursday, March 6th, 1 p.m. CST
WHERE: St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 1450 Green Trails Dr., Naperville, IL
CONTACT: Tom Cordaro, 630-369-0777 / cordarotom@gmail.com
This event will be streamed live at http://www.youtube.com/user/IWJNational.