Rock River Times, Nov 18, 2014
CHICAGO — The Raise Illinois coalition launched a series of press events across the state Nov. 18 to call on lawmakers to immediately pass legislation during this year’s veto session to raise the minimum wage for working families. ...
A diverse set of Raise Illinois coalition partners, which included low-wage workers and families, faith, civic, community and small business leaders joined lawmakers at press events and rallies across the state, including Chicago and surrounding suburbs, as well as Rockford, Peoria, Quad Cities and Metro East. ...
Dmitri Syrkin-Nikolau, founder and CEO of Dimo’s Pizza in Chicago, said: “As a small business owner, I know that running a business by keeping employees in poverty hurts economic growth as a whole. We need lawmakers to understand the value of a healthy employer-employee relationship and pass legislation like raising the minimum wage that ensures that this relationship flourishes.”
Robert Olson, owner of Olson & Associates in Springfield, Illinois, added: “Workers who make a part-time wage while working full-time are not able to support their families or be a good customer base for local businesses in their neighborhoods, towns or cities. Raising the minimum wage is a common-sense, first-step solution to building a healthy local economy.”