Demonstrators take to Seattle streets in statewide push for $15 minimum wage

Marchers have taken to Seattle’s streets in support of a $15 minimum wage, an event following a similar, if much smaller, rally in Spokane this morning. The Spokane rally began at 9 a.m., when about 25 people gathered outside of the Fred Meyer in the East Central neighborhood. The rally lasted just a few minutes before demonstrators climbed aboard a Seattle-bound bus, where people from around the state have started to gather for a larger event. The Spokane gathering was part of a “national day of action” that coincided with Tax Day, with rallies in New York, San Francisco and Philadelphia. Demonstrators also turned out in Olympia, Pasco, Yakima, Moses Lake and Sea-Tac. “This is about fast food workers, home health care workers, even adjunct professors,” said David Brookbank, who helped organize the event. “They realize they cannot make it on minimum wage.” Brookbank is with the local chapter of 15 Now, a group created by a Socialist political party and Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant to push for a $15 minimum wage there. Currently, Washington state – including Spokane – has the highest minimum wage in the nation, at $9.47 an hour.