Too many Minnesotans are forced to work more than forty hours a week in low-paying jobs to make ends meet. Others face bad working conditions or a hostile workplace environment. It is up to our legislature to pass fair labor laws in Minnesota that will protect our workers, ensure that all are paid a fair wage, prevent exploitation, and hold employers accountable. As a democratic socialist, I know that a robust labor movement is central to achieving progressive change. I stand with my fellow workers as we fight for a living wage, paid sick/safe leave, parental leave, and more.

Omar Fateh's Signature

LIVING WAGE & BENEFITS

  • As of January 1, 2022, the minimum wage in the state of MN is $10.33 per hour for large employers. At 40 hours per week, that adds up to around $20,000 per year. In many parts of the state, this is not enough to afford a one bedroom apartment, let alone to raise a family or deal with an emergency.
  • We need a $15 minimum wage statewide, set to increase regularly with the rising cost of living.
  • We must fight for state-wide earned sick/safe leave.
  • New parents should be with their baby. We need generous parental leave, starting at 12 weeks.
  • I support prevailing wage laws and union-backed contracting requirements for public projects.
CTUL and 15 Now organizers rally in Minneapolis City Hall during fight for $15 ─ from MinnPost 9/2/2016

THE LABOR MOVEMENT

  • We cannot combat record breaking inequality without a robust labor movement.
  • I stand with unions. As Senator, I support collective bargaining rights and pledge to fight any so-called "right to work" legislation.
  • I support the right to strike and oppose the replacement of striking workers.
  • In the post-Janus era, we need to explore alternative funding structures for public sector unions such as having the government pay agency fees on behalf of employees.
  • I support the unionization of workers who are considered "unskilled," such as Amazon/big tech employees, uber drivers, etc. I also support a freelancers union.
Fateh 2018 staffers participate in social media movement following the Janus v AFSCME decision ─ from our archives 6/27/2018.

STOP EXPLOITATION

  • In 2020, more Minnesotans work for tech giants such as Uber, Amazon, etc. than ever before. Some of these employers get away with underpaying their workers by using schemes which pay workers a flat fee for a service as opposed to a salary or an hourly wage.
  • One of the most common forms of wage theft occurs when employers misclassify workers as independent contractors. We must end this practice.
  • We must set clear standards for employer contracting practices.
  • We will end wage theft by empowering watchdog organizations and prosecuting offenders.
  • As Senator, I am fighting to stop anti-worker policies like the tipped worker penalty, which allows employers to pay less than the minimum wage if their employees also get tips.
Workers at Amazon's Shakopee facility walk out in protest of sub-human working conditions ─ from CITYPAGES 8/9/2019

WORKPLACE SAFETY

  • We must protect against discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, creed, etc.
  • Corporate and goverment whistleblowers are often heroes who shed light in the darkest corners of our society. We need to enhance whistleblower protections.
  • We need to expand protections for victims of abuse/harrassment in the workplace.
  • We must maintain the highest standards of workplace safety, e.g. high air quality, safe noise levels, and good workplace hygiene.