Issued September 15, 2016
WASHINGTON—SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Fair Work Week proposal:
“Mayor de Blasio has taken an important step forward today in providing solutions working families need to make work scheduling more stable. His Fair Work Week proposal will make day to day life better for working New Yorkers. It's another example of how the movement of service and care workers — started by fast food workers and supported by SEIU's two million members — is winning a better future for all working families through the call for $15 per hour and the freedom to form unions.
"In addition to poverty wages, unpredictable and erratic scheduling makes it much harder for working moms and dads to get enough hours to provide for their families. For younger workers trying to put themselves through school, unstable schedules can make it nearly impossible to manage a course load. More secure schedules will bring balance to the lives of working families and give them a shot at getting ahead.
"SEIU members and our families deeply appreciate Mayor De Blasio taking this step for our families and hope that this proposal will become a model for action around the country. We will continue to stand with working people fighting for family-supporting wages, stable work hours, and a union to help them protect the gains they have already made.”