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Hayward Councilmember Al Mendall, right,
wants Alameda County or Hayward to raise
the local minimum wage to $12 or $15.
PHOTO/Steven Tavares
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HAYWARD | MINIMUM WAGE | There is a growing push in the East Bay calling for a steep bump in the minimum wage. Hayward Councilmember Al Mendall added his name to the list while admonishing the paltry wages offered by large corporations for exerting pressure on the local safety net.
“I want to add my voice to those calling for an increase in the minimum wage,” Mendall announced Tuesday night during the public comment portion of the Hayward City Council. The call was unprompted and appeared to have caught the rest of the council dumbstruck.
Even though the state minimum wage is slated to ultimately rise to over $10 per hour, Mendall said, “I would like us to go further than that.” He advocated for urging Alameda County to raise the base wage to either $12 or $15.
“If we can’t do it countywide, then I would encourage my colleagues on the council to do it locally,” says Mendall. “Talk about tens of thousands of people just in Hayward alone whose lives could be improved by this and it’s something we can do. That’s money that comes into the economy. They’re going to spend it and its going to help local businesses by bringing in more revenue into the local economy. So, it seems like the right things to do, for us.”
Mendall, a council member elected in 2012, estimates 20,000 people in Hayward may be living in poverty even though many are fully-employed. Multinational corporations such as Walmart, Taco Bell and McDonald’s, he said, “make billions in profits from that labor while those folks aren’t even able to food on their table and have a decent place to live and they work 40 hours-a-week.” The low wages, he said, amounts to the state and local government subsidizing the working poor through various safety net programs.
On the same night as Mendall’s call for economic equality, the Richmond City Councill directed its city staff to draft three proposals potentially allowing residents there to raised the minimum wage to either $11, $12.30 or $15. Last week, Oakland mayoral candidate Dan Siegel promised to immediately increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour, if elected next November.
ebcitizen.com 
Love Al Mendall and wish he was running for Mayor. I'm an older family man from Hayward who lost my job during the recession. I have a college degree and am now working for less than $15. It was the only job I could get probably because of my age. It is really hard to get by on what I earn.
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As someone else on this string said, $15 is only about $30,000 a year. Crazy at 1:54 must be an old timer because most people who work for minimum wage aren't teenagers anymore. Look it up at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
You can't raise a family on minimum wage even with 2 people working. Try being a single parent and raise your family on even $15/hr.
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City should follow Obama lead and pay all contractors minimum of $15/hr. as a start including security guards at city hall and janitorial crews.
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Minimum wage was always targeted to the beginers in the work field from shopping malls to grocry stores. the demographic Minimum wage was targeted was generally high school kids to adults with less responsibility. When did 40 year olds start competing with juniors in high school? is that fair? Do you give a teenager a chance ? or do you give an adult a chance ,which in turns generally speaking will want to have all the benefits.. minimum wage designed to go after those who are just starting out. when you see an adult lets say mid 30's or even high 20s starting out at fast food you see a trend. a lack of education, a lack of so called oportunity a lack of motivation. What happened to building a better future for our young people?? when you thrown in an adult into the equation i believe it detours the oportunity for the teen to start working and learn about responsibility.. Minimum wage should be determined with the cost of living in the area it is in.. Hayward is an affordable city to live in compared to SF or SJ.we must get off this high school and start teaching our kids how to be hungry and never content to always want better! never to take the easy route.. Making minimum wage creates another barrier for young people to grow…simple as that neither the conservatives or the democrats can really say what each city can really neet
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Other cities have adopted higher minimum wages and their economies have prospered. Just read an article in today's paper that Ron Unz, the Conservative darling, and Bill O Reilly are now on board and pushing for a higher minimum wage. Crazy one needs to take an econ course!
Others have explained how this helps the economy by creating sustainable cities. Just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it isn't good.
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thanks 9:44 am… you read my mind all these people who think they know business dont know cost of running a business.. before you start pointing fingers and reading bullshit articles you should run a business. Look at SF.. SF gave a tax break to major companies which allowed them to open up shop, ie, Twitter, Google, Uber and other tech companies.. this then brings in big businesses people move into the sector with these great jobs… help local economy like bars, restuarants, clothing stores, etc out… its the trickle effect.. and if you dont think I dont know my shit… look at what happen to Alameda when the naval base shut down… not bueno… simple! it destroyed the economy when a big company left.. it effected the entire cities economy…before you try to tell me you know your shit travel and work as much as I do and then you will see I know my stuff..
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How would this work? If you wanted to conduct business in Hayward, teachers aid, Childcare worker, Busboy, McDonalds, laborer, city councilman, you must pay this living wage or get out of town. Wonder how many businesses and employees would be affected?
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In the Bay Area you can't live on 15 dollars an hour. We have one of the highest cost of living in the United States. It's about $30,000/year. By the time you pay for your rent, water, electricity, phone, clothes, gas, kids clothing, school supplies, transportation, medical, dental,optical, food, etc. you are trying to figure out which bill not to pay, thereby falling farther and farther behind. I'm a single adult raising two children hoping to be able to stay in my apartment and not end up on the street.
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A living wage is when the person working can raise a family on what he/she makes in a week. $15 might not be enough but it's a start. When the top 500 families in the U.S. control more wealth than the bottom 150 million people, the gap is too much and the minimum wage is too low. this means the taxpayers have to subsidize mega corporations and their employees. If people don't have enough money they can't spend their dollars at small local businesses.
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A lot of hot air but no facts presented. Pick a number any number and call it a living wage. The amount is never enough because the more you have the more you want. I suggest that those that want a minimum wage start your own business and hire who you want then tell me what you think is a living wage.
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Crazy place–you're an imbecile. You need to take an economics course. When the minimum wage goes up local businesses prosper, particularly small local business. The extra money is plowed right back into the local economy. It helps keep the city sustainable and helps the taxpayers who don't have to subsidize low wage workers. It also keeps people from sleeping in their cars or on the streets.
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Uneducated? your the uneducated one… You dont run a business you probably have a job where you dont have growth something probably salary based im guessing.. Do you know what Bitcoin is? what about the companies I mentioned?? How long has Mervyns been closed? What about holiday bowl.. Really you want to throw stones in my Glass house.. You better check yourself you un educated lack of business knowledge having nimrod! simple as this.. Look around Hayward If Al mendal was this Knight in Shining armor then The mervyns building, Holiday bowl, down town wouldnt be empty. You can look at all the bias facts in the world, but economies across the state are all different due to what there is to offer and what there isnt to offer… You need to travel my friend.. Ill challenge anyone to see how much they travel compared to me in this blog piece. I bet the ones who bitch and compalin and point fingers at us business minded people dont do shit for their community, nor help out the local business! you complain but yet when Hayward comes with open arms to ask for your help you turn away and bitch and complain simple as that! Do something!
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With our high cost of living in the Bay Area it should be $18. You can't raise a family on less than that with rents sky rocketing and food & transportation going through the roof.
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Love Al Mendall and wish he was running for Mayor. I'm an older family man from Hayward who lost my job during the recession. I have a college degree and am now working for less than $15. It was the only job I could get probably because of my age. It is really hard to get by on what I earn.
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I love the fifteen dollar minimum wage. Studies have shown that cities who raise the minimum wage do not lose customers nor does it hurt local businesses. In fact, it helps the City and LOCAL businesses, particularly small businesses.
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Anon above and Crazy place sure sounds like the uneducated ones to me. They should go back and finish high school. Maybe a lesson on economics and sustainable communities wouldn't hurt either.
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Who told you to only work in Hayward, what about neighboring city where they can pay you bigger? Hayward is already suffering because there is no business here. If Smarty Pant Al want to help driving the business, then I support him to raise the minimum wage. For those who supports Al in this decision, you are a fool and delusional. Tell me 3 things that has improved the economy in Hayward!!! You asked business to pay you more money, where does the money come from when there is no customer. You are looking for more unemployment rate when the business is closing down soon. I'm not here to tell city council what to do, merely showing all the facts that as a small business owners, we are all struggling already. Please don't make it harder on us after promising that things will be better after you are elected. Al elected and won, simply because he promised heaven and sky while deliver not even a dirt!!!
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3:27 am, ” SF unemployment is at 5%…. which is awesome.. “
If you are talking about the SF Bay Area, you are crazy.
Of course you fail to include the true unemployment, those that are unemployed, those that are under employed looking for full time work, and a large percent who have technically given up looking, thus are no longer counted.
You take those true numbers in Hayward and you're talking about 12 to 14 percent.
As to your interest in Gold…
” Who thought GOLD would be where it is today???”
You mean down from $1900 to $1200 ?
Or are you suggesting its been a great investment?
How about silver? Is that also something you advise buying after its huge decline in the past 2 years?
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All of these people siding with the increase to minimum wage dont understand industry and dont understand that there are plenty of jobs out there but people have the mentality of being so called Entittled. You all know that in the future there will be no Social security because of the retards running Washington, so why not invest.. Life is a risk and for you to sit and wish that a magical pegus will swoop you into a financial heaven got another thing coming. Invest invest invest and invest.. Be smart about your investments.. Who thought GOLD would be where it is today??? What about other precious metals?? Do you recycle? What about things you have and you dont really need? Ever heard of Craigslist of Ebay?? What about being frugal with your money and not spend it on stupid shit??? Everyone points fingers at the so called problems but those who are pointing the fingers are the problem themselves… Evolution of industry is beautiful! I dont want to sound like a salesmen for these businesses but Lyft, Uber, Sidecar, Task rabit, AirBNB, have made people thousand of dollars on their own time.. Research those companies and see what I am talking about. Forget working for the man, forget bitching and complaining about this and that.. Become your own Brand, become the american dream instead of asking for the Government to hand you a Pay check.. Earn your Money! It makes me sick to see the mentality of entitlement!!! Be thankful that we have what we have.. try to live in another state with the lack of resources that we have! We are lucky and fortunate that we live in the strongest economy in the world, SF unemployment is at 5%…. which is awesome.. They are asking for businesses to come and welcoming them in… not Hayward.. You want to talk about brains.. What has Mendal done for this city so far? Hes an engineer.. you need businessman! you need a person who can sell the city to investors! you need a visionary! you need someone who believes in our great city.. Look at down town, look at mission past 4 years what type of improvement in businesses have you seen?? very little and more closing down faster than you can blink your eye! We need Business minded people running the show!! We need to change our vote from June to November where the voter turn out is much larger and more Broader! Look who votes in June and you will see why we have the same politicians running the city.. DO your home work!
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I tired of paying for the multi-national corporations, who are making billions, workers health and other benefits. This is corporate welfare. They can certainly afford to pay their workers a living wage with benefits so we taxpayers don't have to subsidize the multi-nationals. there ought to be a law, and there soon will be.
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Agree with Al Mendall that $15 should be the minimum wage. I make slightly more than that and am falling further and further behind. It should also be indexed to the cost of living. Food and gas prices keep rising along with my rent. Minimum wage should also keep rising. Tell it like it is Al. You are our hero.
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Wonder how Mendall feels working with six colleagues who have no brains. Must be awfully tough. Used to know of people who ate beef brains. They must be really smart.
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Love Al Mendall and wish he was running for Mayor. I'm an older family man from Hayward who lost my job during the recession. I have a college degree and am now working for less than $15. It was the only job I could get probably because of my age. It is really hard to get by on what I earn.
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He ran for election and won. If you idiots think you can do better, run for election. I'll be happy to vote against you. 15 dollars is less than a living wage, but at least it's a start.
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4:27 PM: Yes, whose brain is that? Cracker barrel or Cream of wheat brain?
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Where does he stand on important issues? If he is the only brains on council, heaven help us. You are obviously one of his aloof, arrogant supporters.
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Mendall is the only one with any brains on the Council. At least you know where he stands!
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Regarding Seigel. It would be even better if Seigel promised to reduce crime in Oakland by 50%. This is the real issue, increasing minimum wages is laudable but crime is still the city's biggest problem.
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10:40 AM Jan 17th, regarding City workers
“They are at best middle class working people trying to hold their families together, dealing with uncertainty and watching their wages go down, their benefits go down and their retirement ( if they ever get it) go down.”
Would you please indicate how their retirement is going down.
Can you point out a single city worker who has had their rate of retirement go down?
If so, could you give the details?
Other wise I doubt that to be true.
Also regarding retirement “if they'll ever get it”…
Are you suggesting that CalPERS is not financially sound?
And won't pay pensions in the future?
Please explain these points you seem so concerned about.
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Mendall stands because he speaks out of his ass and wants to be clearly heard.
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Believe Henson had a similar problem, but he managed to not put himself above his colleagues and the audience. Mendall has always had aloofness problem.
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Mendall stands at meetings because of a chronic back problem that makes it difficult to sit for long periods of time.
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When did america become the land of Dreamers and not Doers? its not a Republican or a democrat issue. Its an issue of who wants to do what. There are repubulicans who hate taxes, and there are democrats that have the same mentality.. What I am saying is theres a lot of money to be earned out there to say thaty a person has to be paid a certain amount because We are “entitled” is bullshit. In the military you earn what you earn because you earned it.. We are becoming a socialist society. Why is everyone have to earn the same?? What happened to waking up and earning it the hard way?? or the easy way.. I just think people want to have the bullshit security blanket… Nothing is ever guaranteed in life.. that is why you always have multiple outlets of income and not just one.. Spend what you have not what you dont have… be fiscal but yet still spend. Society needs to wake the fucc up and stop saying the foreigners are taking our money and jobs.. its that mentality is why people who come to this country are appreciative about what they earn… Shame on you people who want to always ask for a fuccen hand out!
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All wage fights impact everyone. The city workers of Hayward are also in a fight for their wages.Why don't any of these city council comment on the Hayward City Workers who are fighting to save what is left of their pay and benefits. The Library workers work very hard and are some of the lowest paid in the city. They have already lost 12% of their wages after also going years with furloughs(taking 10% of their pay). None of these council members are brave enough to say this is wrong. This is unfair. This is cruel. The workers have been dedicated to the people of the city. They have worked hard and harder(since there are now fewer of them, each one doing more work). And they keep getting treated like they are fat cats making an obscene amount of money. That is not true. They are at best middle class working people trying to hold their families together, dealing with uncertainty and watching their wages go down, their benefits go down and their retirement ( if they ever get it) go down. This is just not right. I would think that the city council members should take a stand before the united strength of the Hayward Workers decides which way to vote in the upcoming election.
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A higher minimum wage is supported by every poll taken in the last year. The last one was supported by over 75% of all responders and even 53% of the Republicans.
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Even conservatives now know that raising the minimum wage stimulates the economy and creates jobs.
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What a silly political show. Mandall has done absolutely nothing to create jobs or promote econimic growth in Hayward. If anything he has been a detriment to the local economy along with Sweeney. Let.s create the jobs first, get the local economy growing, before grandstanding. Salinas and Mendall, all style, no substance, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
What a joke.
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12:20 AM poster: Understand your point, but not with the economy state in Hayward. We already have too many businesses closing down and we need to close some more? where's the logic behind that to support local economy? Councilman always asked from business when they are running, but this is definitely a stab in back from them after they got elected. This is not San Jose nor San Francisco, but local economy Hayward has suffered enough that we need to work together to bring more business and economy stabilization which eventually raise the minimum wage in Hayward.
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Does Al Mendall ever sit down when he's talking? He always look down at people. After promising budding economy if he get elected, now he is trying to kill one. The city economy will not get any better by providing a higher minimum wage, you will likely kill local business who is already dying to get some businesses here in Hayward. Time to face the mirror, Al and slap your face to wake up and see the reality in your own city. Connect with a reality!!!
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Every city needs to raise the minimum wage. Wake up local governments and follow Richmond's example. We can't stimulate the economy if we don't have any $$$$$$$$$.
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Great meeting…Mr. Mendall and Mr. Salinas made some excellent points.
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Dumbstruck is their default setting.
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Anon above you are an illiterate Tea Bagger Republican. There are a lot of people working at or close to minimum wage jobs, sometimes 2 trying to raise a family. In the Bay area it should be at least 15 dollars an hour and I'm not sure you could raise a family on that. This money goes right back into our community and helps support small business and that helps to create more jobs which helps sustain our economy.
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This dumb ass notion of lets raise the minimum wage to 15 is retarded… So your saying a person at Mcdonalds or some Entry level job should be at almost double the national miniumum.. GET THE FUCC OUT OF HERE!!! What happened to the american dream.. what happened to working hard and being successful??? we are creating the mentality of entitlement.. There are so many ways to make more the the typical minimum wage…Its ludacris!! Simple as that.. People Choose to be broke.. People Choose to spend the way they spend… It makes me angry that we as a country are becoming a country of handout asking idiots!!! They did a story on Yahoo about the internet boom of Community sharing jobs… IE Lyft, UBER, Task Rabbit, Airbnb…. if you dont know what these are these ladies and gentlemen are the waves of the future.. Its premise is to utlitilze your service… example.. Person A owns a car.. Person B needs a ride.. Person B hits an ap on their Iphone, Person A gets a request… and Wahlaa person A gives a ride to Person B and Makes 35 and up an hour.. Simple as that… Why work for the MAN? why bitch about minimum wage.. do something about it and work and be creative.. not ask for fuccen hand outs!!! they should end all that shit straight out!!! I wouldnt approve a wage increase its dumb as fucc… do your research on those companies I just Mentioned!
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Definitely not approved by Kim Jong Huggett and the rest of the idiot chamber of commerce goons.
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Love Al Mendall. Wish he was running for Mayor!
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