The group ‘One Fair Wage’ announced plans to mobilize volunteers in preparation for a statewide referendum in response to Senate Bill 8 (SB 8), which was passed by the Michigan Legislature and is now headed to Governor Whitmer’s desk.
f enacted, SB 8 would weaken minimum wage protections for tipped workers before they take effect on Friday, February 21, despite a 2024 Michigan Supreme Court ruling that restored stronger worker protections.
Under Michigan’s referendum process, voters can challenge newly passed laws by gathering a required number of signatures from registered voters. If enough signatures are collected within the legal timeframe, SB 8 would be suspended and placed on the ballot for a statewide vote, preventing the measure from taking effect unless approved by voters.
The effort to organize a referendum comes amid widespread public opposition to SB 8. According to recent polling from Progress Michigan , a majority of voters oppose lawmakers who weakened worker protections and support raising wages. Since SB 8’s passage, hundreds of calls and messages have flooded state lawmakers’ offices, demanding they uphold the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling and allow the scheduled wage increases to take effect.
To prepare for the signature collection process required to qualify the referendum, One Fair Wage is launching a statewide volunteer drive focused on:
- Recruiting and training volunteers to gather signatures across the state.
- Coordinating outreach efforts to educate voters about the referendum process.
- Engaging workers and community members affected by the proposed wage amendments.
If enough valid signatures are collected, SB 8 would be blocked from taking effect, allowing Michigan voters to have the final say on whether the wage increases remain in place.
“The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that these wage increases should be implemented, yet lawmakers are attempting to roll them back before they even take effect,” said Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage. “We’re mobilizing to ensure voters—not politicians—have the ultimate say in whether these protections are upheld.”
One Fair Wage is calling on supporters across Michigan to join the effort. Volunteers can sign up to help collect signatures and mobilize voters by signing up here
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