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Who is Mothering Justice?Mothering Justice is a statewide organization in Michigan dedicated to empowering mothers to influence policy on behalf of themselves and their families. Through advocacy, leadership development, voter empowerment and promoting family friendly advocacy. Mothering Justice raises the voices of mothers and help them become policy shapers. The overall goal of this organization is to have a well-organized group of mothers that can engage fellow parents and lawmakers around a variety of issues that affect working families.

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What does Mothering Justice Do?

WhatMothering

Justice Does?

VOTER ENGAGEMENT• Use economic fairness

issues to increase voter enthusiasm

• Create momentum for economic fairness issues and inject them into the 2016 election debate

• Increase ballot completion among low income and mothers of color

ADVOCACY• Amplify the voices of mothers

• Establish a coalition of organizations focused on civic engagement of mothers of color

• Create and run trainings focused on increasing civic engagement of mothers

• Create meaningful discussion spaces for women with children

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT • Create grassroots

momentum for women’sworkplace fairness issues

FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVISM It is Mothering Justice's goal to help advocacy organizations increase their involvement from mothers by providing designated spaces for children at organizational gatherings. Mothering Justice understands that many mothers would like to participate in organizational functions but are unable to because they feel pressured to keep their children quiet or leave at any sign that the child might be a distraction. Mothering Justice volunteers provide stimulating child care for organizations and training for organizations on how to host their own childcare.

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Mothering Justice AccomplishmentsCivic EngagementThrough our civic engagement programs, we have reached out to over 100,000 likely moms in Michigan encouraging them vote in local, state, and federal elections.

Minimum Wage In the Winter 2014, Mothering Justice became on one of the founding steering committee members of Raise Michigan, the campaign to increase the minimum wage. Raise Michigan launched a ballot initiative that same year. The campaign was successful in forcing the country’s first minimum wage increase by a republican legislature and republican governor. The victory was $9.25 per hour with raised tipped worker, which was a huge victory for worker’s rights in the state of Michigan. The campaign received over $1million dollars’ worth earned media and Mothering Justice was the lead spokes group on the Campaign.

Mama’s ConversationsMothering Justice has held over 100 conversations with moms statewide about issues that affect them directly in their communities. Mama Conversations are the main organizing tool of Mothering Justice. The conversations are designed to promote a comfortable, honest conversation about the realities of raising children in their community. Participants are encouraged to speak about the positives and negatives of motherhood in this time along with envisioning a reality where their values were shared by decision makers. Each conversation is unique and shapes a narrative about what should be done to make their community more family-friendly and mother welcoming.

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2016 Mama’s AgendaOn behalf of the undersigned organizations, and the millions of Michigan families we represent, we urge you to support the Mothering Justice Mamas’ Agenda, which encompasses five elements of economic justice for working families in Michigan. The Mamas’ Agenda was developed after extensive and ongoing consultations with Michigan mothers, particularly those living in our state’s urban areas, in order to determine the issues that most impact Michigan families.

The five tenets of the Mamas’ Agenda are as follows:

On the following pages are an in-depth description of each issue and how it affects women across the state of Michigan!

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE

ELIMINATING WAGE THEFT

PAID SICK LEAVE

AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE

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In our conversations with mothers around Michigan, a single theme comes up again and again. When asked about the most important issue impacting a family’s financial security, mothers talk about the cost of child care. According to one analysis of US Census Data, Michigan has the 12th highest cost of infant care in the entire country, with an annual average cost of $10,114. This represents almost half the median income for a single mother in Michigan, and 13 percent of the median income for a married couple. The lack of high-quality subsidized childcare and preschool keeps Michigan mothers out of the workforce, and puts their children at a disadvantage entering public school.

AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE

Married-couplefamily at

median income($81,062)

21%

200% poverty($39,580)

41%

150% poverty

2 of every 3young children have

all parents in the workforce

($29,685)

55%

poverty($19,790)

83%

Percent of Michigan Family Budget Spent on Child Care

Child care costs for a family with two children (2014)Source:Michigan League For Public Policy

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Mama’s Stories

My husband and I both work full time and, to be honest, earn a very comfortable living. However, after student loans, mortgage, insurance bills and groceries we have meager funds left for luxuries like vacations, new clothes, and even date nights. We are not hurting. I know there are many people who make it work with much less, but that doesn’t mean it is easy.

Our son was born in May 2015. During my pregnancy I started shopping around for child care, although my mother-in-law (MIL) had offered to care for him as many days a week as we needed, and my father offered to take a day, also. But infants can be tiring, especially for aging parents. I wanted to have backup. Also, I think there is great value in group child care due to the socialization and developmental opportunities offered.

I returned to work after 8 weeks (6 weeks disability, 2 weeks vacation) home with my son. My husband works for a small company and does not accrue paid time off or qualify for FMLA. I had to return to work for us financially.

The child care centers in our neighborhood all had multiple investigations on file with the state, and that turned me off. Further, virtually none of them have green-space on their property, which would require “field trips” to nearby parks. With the infant-provider ration being 4-1 I couldn’t imagine this would happen regularly. The convenient center near my work never returned my inquiries, and navigating to other centers in/around downtown with an infant didn’t seem worth the effort, especially with the growing congestion and parking issues faced. So we looked in Livonia. The place was great and we loved it, but at $63/day for infant care full time care would have stretched our budget. On top of that they have a wait list, so even if we were able to make the finances work, they didn’t have space for him, and still don’t almost a year later.

Mama’s Stories

We looked at some other places, and found them even more expensive (one was more than $80/day for infant care and you still had to provide all of your own food and diapers) but we were less impressed with their staff, which appeared to have quite a bit of turnover, and facilities. The diversity remained an issue for us as well.

I personally believe we need to rethink our family leave laws and expand them. That in itself would impact the child care industry greatly. What bothers me most about the state of child care in my community is that it isn’t equal and you get what you pay for. My suburban neighbors have access to newer and better-maintained facilities. In poorer urban areas like Detroit, we have more limited options, in terms of the quality of care our children will receive. These facilities cannot typically pull the same tuition as centers in wealthier areas, and I am sure this results in poorer pay and benefits for the care providers, but also impacts the quality of care given and the facilities in use. Beyond this, we know from research that children learn best in diverse communities. Kids learn from one another, everything from vocabulary and etiquette, to social skills and empathy. Kids from higher socio-economic families learn from kids from lower socio-economic familes and vice versa.

My son will turn one next month and we still aren’t closer to having ideal child care for him.

-Susan L, Detroit, MI

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When workers clock in sick, they risk spreading illness to their co-workers and their customers and, when parents aren’t able to take their children to the doctor, they put the health of other children and teachers at risk. More than 1.5 million Michigan workers, about 46 percent of the state’s private sector work force, are not able to take a paid sick day when they are ill. More than three in four food service and hotel workers (78 percent) do not have a single paid sick day. Workers in child care centers and nursing homes - important jobs with vulnerable populations - also over-whelmingly lack paid sick says. For these families, each time they take needed time off, they risk their families’ economic security and jeopardize the public’s health. Women are much more likely to have caregiving responsibilities in addition to their paid employment, including caring for elderly parents, children or ill spouses/partner. Without paid sick days, women are often left with no choice but to forego pay in order to meet their families’ health care needs.

PAID SICK LEAVE

Source:Michigan League For Public Policy

46%of workers in Michigan

do not have access to earned sick leave.

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PAID SICK LEAVE Mama’s Stories

I work for an agency that allows you to earn paid sick time but only after you have been employed for six months. Also, once you have reached six months of employment you earn 1 day of “personal time” each month. Last year, my daughter was 1 years old and had gotten sick. She was admitted to the hospital for severe RSV and dehydration. I had only been employed for 5 months at this time. When I called my supervisor to let her know that I would not be at work because my daughter was in the hospital she responded, “you will not get paid for the time you are not at work and if you are out for longer than 3 days than you have to provide us with a note from the doctor or you may be terminated”. I expressed to her that I understood I would not get paid but I had to be with my daughter. She then responded to me and said “well you can come in to work and work a few hours and then go back to the hospital”.  I was shocked by her response as she is also a mother. I replied to her that my daughter and her health is my priority and I will return to work once she is discharged. I do not believe that no mother should have to choose between work and her children. Every parent should have the opportunity to earn paid sick leave, no matter how long they have been on the job.

-Shantina H. Detroit, MI

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When you work hard in Michigan you should be able to pay the bills, care for your children and family members, and share in the benefits of economic growth. The minimum wage was is intended to do just that: make sure that hardworking Americans could earn enough to support themselves and their families. In 2014 Mothering Justice help lead coalition that fought to raise the minimum wage in Michigan. Volunteers from all over the state carried petition to put an increase on the ballot. Out of fear that voters would pass the measure, legislators approved a smaller raise. It was because, and only because, of Mothering Justice and our allies that Michigan’s minimum wage increased to $9.25 in 2016 and increase every year after. But this is not enough. The 2014 bill left behind a key group of Michigan minimum wage workers - tipped workers. We won’t rest until all Michigan workers have a living wage.

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

Source: UCLA Labor Center

$10.10$7.40

would Help

1,017,000 Michigan workers-26% of the state’s labor force

Minimum wageincrease to

from

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Mama’s Stories

I am a single mother of 2 children ages 13 and 11. I currently work full-time as well as attend college full-time. It is very hard to take care of my children, and go to school on my current salary. I appreciate the support from my family but they can’t support me financially. I don’t get assistance from the state because I do not qualify, so the struggle continues. Although I am employed full-time, I make minimum wage and I struggle to make ends meet. Some days I do not know if I would have enough food to last until I get paid or if my lights will be cut off due to non payment or a late payment. I shouldn’t have to worry about gas money to get to and from work.  My kids don’t see my worries but they know that we are struggling. They see the stress in my eyes and the dried tear stains on my cheeks.  My daughter asked if she can join gymnastics at her school and I told her to let me know the price. She told me if it cost anything she won’t do it.  That breaks my heart and no one should have to deny their kids because they do not make enough money. It bothers me that a woman who is working hard and attempting to pursue her education, still Has to worry about supporting her family. The minimum wage should be raised to assist the working struggling mother who is trying to make a better life for her children. 

-Toneica C. Clinton Township, MI

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

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FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE (FMLI)

Family Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) enables workers to get by during periods of personal illness/disability or to care for a loved one. FMLI is paid leave that can be used by an employee if they are welcoming a new child, recovering from personal illness, caring for a family member, or caring for a qualifying wounded service member. In Michigan, workers are only eligible for FMLI if their employers have more than 50 employees and if they have worked more than 1,250 hours in the past year for that employer. These restrictions leave out many Michigan workers. FMLI would also benefit Michigan’s elderly population; when the elderly or chronically ill have caregivers able to look after them, they are able to be independent for longer, recover more quickly, and stay out of nursing homes. In additional to clear benefits for working families, FMLI also helps employers. Family Medical Leave reduces turnover in workplaces, saving businesses recruiting and training costs by allowing workers to take a short break to deal with a family emergency and then return to productivity.

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FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE (FMLI) Mama’s Stories

The day that I found out I was pregnant was one of the greatest moments in my life. When you’re a expecting mom there are a lot of things that you are preparing for your new born child. One of those things if you are a working mother is determining what you would like to do with work. At the time of my pregnancy my job offered me two options for maternity leave which were either 6 weeks or 12 weeks leave of absence under FMLA Law. The only thing these options guaranteed was that once my leave was over I would be able to slide right back into my position. This gives you a feeling of job security for when it’s time to return to work, but doesn’t give you any type of security to support your family while you are on leave. It’s hard to continue to pay bills and take care of everyday tasks when you no longer have a steady income which I don’t think jobs realize. If jobs offered some type of support even if it was half of your pay it would make such a significant difference in the lives of new moms. At the time my husband took a higher position at his job to compensate for what was missing now that I was on my leave. Doing this caused him to work longer hours and more days which in a way is unfair to him, me, and our newborn child because he doesn’t get to spend much time with us as he would’ve liked to. If my job would’ve offered some type of compensation he could’ve opted to not take on a more demanding position. My daughter was born in October and my leave ended after the holiday season which really put us in a somewhat bind trying to make it off of only one income.

-Tasha G., Detroit, MI

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For many workers in Michigan, the core concept of employment - that you go to work, put in your hours, and get paid - is routinely violated. Around the state, hundreds of thousands of Michigan workers suffer “wage theft.” That is, they are illegally underpaid or not paid at all. Common techniques include refusal to pay overtime, forcing workers to work off the clock, or omitting a worker’s last paycheck. Industries where this problem is rampant include core Michigan industries, including agriculture, food processing, food service, textile manufacturing, and retail. While wage theft happens all over the country, Michigan workers recently filed a national case that brought the issue to the fore

ELIMINATING WAGE THEFT

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Mama’s Stories

In 2008, I was a Sales Associate in the Women’s Shoes department at Macy’s in Novi, MI. I was subjected to unfair wage treatment. I would ask permission to take my break (15 minutes, two per 8 hour shift). But if I stayed in the backroom, I was often forced to clock back in early, if we got busy. During the holiday season, it was hit or miss if I received either of my breaks or my lunch, even during a 8 hour shift. There were multiple occasions where I assisted a customer and if I didn’t check them out, my commission was stolen by another associate. And if I mentioned this to the Department Manager, nothing was hardly ever done to reimburse me. Then if I decided to involve H.R., I never got a response about my complaint. I worked in this position for all of 11 months until I was able to find full time employment elsewhere.

-Tomicka R., Warren M

ELIMINATING WAGE THEFT

Mothering Justice Partners