Catherwood LibraryILR School

Despite losing a 5-2 City Council vote in March, the Ventura, CA Living Wage Coalition is not giving up on its efforts to pass a city ordinance requiring all businesses with city contracts to pay their workers at least $9 an hour. Members of the organization will hold a candlelight vigil outside tonight?s City Council meeting before formally announcing their intention to lead a petition drive to get the signatures of fifteen percent of the city?s registered voters in time to put the living wage issue on the fall 2003 ballot. Similar to many of the coalitions that have successfully campaigned for local living wages across the country, the Coalition draws on a diverse group of members ranging from union members and community activists to college students and local church leaders.