RAYTOWN, Mo. — Eight months after Missouri voters approved Proposition A, legislation to increase the minimum wage in increments and implement paid sick leave, a repeal will now alter the future for many workers.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe rolled back the law, leaving service workers uncertain about how this change will affect their lives.
Richard Eiker, a McDonald's employee for over two decades and an active member of StandUp KC and the Missouri Workers Center, shared his personal experience with the challenges imposed by the lack of paid sick leave.
He recounts a poignant incident involving his mother, who fell ill while he was at work.
"I could not afford to stay home and care for her," Eiker said. "I had to go to work, keep the bills and lights paid, and keep the roof over our heads. When I came home from work, she had suffered a stroke while I was gone. She was in a coma for three days and had to go into a nursing home after that. I sometimes wonder what if I had been there for her during those crucial hours."
After Proposition A passed with a 58% majority, Eiker felt hopeful about having paid sick leave for the first time in his career.
"I was quite excited when it passed; this was going to be a game-changer, not just for me but for workers like myself," Eiker said.
However, the Missouri legislature recently passed a bill repealing the yearly inflation increase to the minimum wage and ending paid sick leave.
"This was a popular bill," Eiker said. "We won the hearts and minds of the people; we won them over. For politicians to just ignore that in favor of corporate profit is very aggravating and disappointing."
Despite the repeal, Eiker remains unaware of any communication from his employer regarding how much sick leave he has accrued or how he might use it.
However, he knows that the fight doesn't end here, and the Missouri Workers Center will push forward.
—
KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
