RMAPI to celebrate employers who have raised their minimum wage

The Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative established a goal six months ago of raising the wages of 10,000 Rochester residents to at least $15 an hour in 2021. The coalition now plans to celebrate all of the local organizations that have made that commitment, even those who committed to the wage increases prior to this year.

Employers can visit RocRespondsRMAPI.com to let RMAPI know that they have made the commitment.

“We know from the wage disparities report published in 2017 by RMAPI and the city of Rochester that our region’s Black and Brown residents face sharp disparities in wages across all sectors and all levels of education,” said RMAPI Executive Director Aqua Porter. “The organizations that have committed to a $15 per hour starting wage are not just making an investment in their own employees, but also taking an important step toward the RMAPI Guiding Principle to address structural racism in Rochester.”

A number of organizations have taken this critical step toward wage equality, including many of the region’s largest employers. RMAPI officials said this step not only addresses one of the leading causes of poverty both in Rochester and across the nation — low wages — but also makes critical progress toward addressing the racial inequality that exists across the region and particularly in the workforce.

On Sept. 2, RMAPI will update the community on the progress toward its goal and celebrate the organizations that have taken this step. The update will include remarks from local leaders and representatives from organizations that have established a $15 per hour starting wage, including University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf.

RMAPI is a multi-sector community collaborative whose aim is to improve quality of life by reducing poverty and increasing self-sufficiency. RMAPI has developed three guiding principles to inform its work and serve as a guide for community decision-making: address structural racism, address trauma and build community.

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