Rep. Jackie Cilley joins Stand With Women Campaign to Announce SWW Legislative Agenda

(Concord-January 20th, 2016) Leaders from labor, women’s and economic equity organizations gathered in the lobby of the New Hampshire Legislative Office Building in Concord yesterday to announce a collaborative agenda in support of economic justice for women.

New Hampshire Citizens’ Alliance executive director Kary Jencks, who collaborated with Granite State Progress’s Zandra Rice Hawkins to organize the coalition and the event, kicked off the announcement demonstration with remarks describing the coalition and outlining the Stand With Women campaign and their shared goals for the new legislative session.

“Central to our work is a women’s economic justice framework because women are central to our families and our economy. We know that more women than ever are working outside the home, heading households and leading in the workplace. Therefore, we must take action now to ensure that women have equal rights and receive fair treatment on the job, in health care and in the new economy,” Jencks said to applause from the crowd of about thirty supporters.

Among the speakers advocating for some of the specific legislative proposals making up the SWW Agenda was Rep. Jackie Cilley (D-Barrington), whose bill HB 1346 eliminating the sub-minimum tipped wage and moving to One Fair Wage is part of the agenda.

“Take a good look at the next server who brings your food,” Cilley suggested. “You are more likely to see a woman - 81% of tipped workers are women - in her 30’s who may have a child at home. One in four are moms, many of them single parents. They deserve an equitable wage, and the respect that represents.”

Other speakers discussing their contributions to the agenda included Sen. Dan Feltes (D-Concord), chief sponsor of SB 416 that would make it easier for workers to effectively manage their time by urging employers to offer schedules that are predictable and known in advance. and New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Glenn Brackett, who is supporting an effort to ensure fair wages on all building projects paid for with taxpayer money.

After the announcement, Stand With Women supporters dispersed to return to their day of testifying in support of the three bills, all of which faced committee hearings in the House or Senate.