More petition campaigns are looking to begin collecting signatures as they take aim at the 2018 ballot.
One of the campaigns seeks to increase Michigan’s minimum wage to 12 dollars an hour.
The campaign also wants to boost wages for workers who rely on tips. A separate but related campaign wants a voter-enacted law that would require employers to give hourly workers paid family and sick leave.
Danielle Atkinson is one of the organizers.
“These issues of working families, how we make ends meet, how we care for our families are the most important things people are talking about right now.”
She says the groups are aiming for the 2018 ballot.
“Right now, we’re just laying the groundwork to ensure we have the resources to win for working families, so we are really excited about talking about these issues.”
“We have been working on these issues for a really long time, and we have tried a variety of avenues, including lobbying the Legislature, but it’s very clear that we want to talk about and we’re going straight to the ballot.”
The earned sick leave drive failed to get on the 2016 ballot. The state minimum wage will increase to 9-25 an hour next year.
Both petition drives need to collect more than 250 thousand signatures. That would put the questions before the Legislature, or on the 2018 ballot.