Marilyn Moore

Sen. Moore Testifies In Support of Earned Family & Medical Leave, Pay Equity, and Livable Wage

Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) gave testimony Thursday evening during the General Assembly’s Labor Committee public hearing in support of adopting an earned family medical leave law, a pay equity law and an increase in the minimum wage in Connecticut.

Senator Moore’s full testimony:

Senator Gomes, Senator Minor, Representative Porter, and members of the Labor and Public Employees Committee. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to this committee in support of SB 5388.

My name is Marilyn Moore and I am the State Senator representing the 22nd district that includes Bridgeport, Monroe and Trumbull. This is my second term in the legislature, but my first employment in the legislature was as a legislative aide for Senator Gomes who was and continues as the Chair of Labor.

As his aide, I had the opportunity to meet laborers throughout the state and learn about their lives. For the most part there was a common thread that wove them together; they were dedicated workers who wanted to work, wanted to support their families, and were willing to stand together for fair wages, fair working conditions, and support each other in their quest for decent quality of life. They inspired me to champion the fight for $15 in my first year as a legislator and Chair of Human Services.

As Chair of Human Services, where I continue to serve today, I have heard testimonies for hundreds of men and women who are the caregivers for our parents, our children, the elderly, the sick, and the disabled. Men and women, who we depend upon every single day, so we can leave our loved ones in a safe place while we go to our jobs. From the daycare worker at our centers to the health care worker taking care of our moms and dads, I’ve heard their cry for respect; pay me for the work I do and pay me a wage that allows me to take care of my family and not be dependent upon state subsidies to meet my families’ needs.

The cost of living in Connecticut is higher than the national average and rent accounts for 43 percent of the paycheck. In 2016, I stood on the floor of the Senate to fight for a $15 minimum wage and faced a five-hour filibuster. One of the most alarming statements was that “everybody is better off as a result of having a competitive situation” and there is a danger of job losses if wages are raised. The real danger lies with the 227,000 people who saw an increase in their pay on January 1 to the new minimum wage of $10.10 that they will be able to sustain their families in the future. It’s time for the State of Connecticut taxpayer to end the practice of subsidizing childcare, food, and health care to people who work for companies who earn high profits and pay low wages. I believe the time has come for Connecticut to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2022. I ask that you support SB 5388.

I’ve attached the National Employment Law Project Fight for $15 Fact Sheet as reference to what other states have stepped up and raised the minimum wage.

I also support:
SB 1 — An Act Concerning Earned Family & Medical Leave
SB 15 —An Act Concerning Fair & Equal Pay for Equal Work
HB 5043—An Act Promoting a Fair, Civil & Harassment-Free Workplace
HB 5044—An Act Concerning Fair Treatment of Sick Workers
HB 5386—An Act Concerning Various Pay Equity & Fairness Matters
HB 5387—An Act Concerning Paid Family Medical Leave

Thank you for your consideration.