Rep. Zamarripa Statement on Living Wage for Wisconsin Workers

Milwaukee—Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement on today’s press conference concerning legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour:

“Last week, Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers (MASH) announced a historic agreement in the Fiserv Forum agreeing to a $15 minimum wage for their workers. The road to this victory started well before construction ever began on the new Bucks arena. Democrats worked closely with the Bucks’ new ownership to put together a ‘community benefits agreement’ that included a commitment to ‘$15 and a union’ for end-use workers at the new arena. End-use workers are the retail, janitorial, concessions, bartenders, etc. – the backbone of the Fiserv Forum.

“Many of these workers come home to my district on Milwaukee’s near south side at the end of the day, and this has never been lost on me. I am proud to say I hail from a family of service industry workers, including my mom who works in the hospitality industry to this day.

“And so today, I was proud to stand alongside Representatives Melissa Sargent and Lisa Subeck as we introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage in the state of Wisconsin to $15 an hour. For far too long, costs of living have risen rapidly while wages have stagnated.

“Wisconsin needs to be a state where you can work and raise a family without struggling to make ends meet. I’m proud to stand with those who fight for economic justice and the workers who deserve more.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.