An e-mail recently sent by Madison Fair Wage Campaign organizer Joe Lindstrom to College Democrats warned of the possibility that without further volunteer support, the initiative to establish a $7.75 minimum wage may not be able to reach its mandatory goal of 13,000 signatures.
The e-mail, sent Nov. 5, warns College Democrats that at the current pace, \we're going to fall about 500 [signatures] short."" As of Wednesday, two weeks before the deadline for the signatures expires, the campaign effort had collected about 9,000 signatures, 4,000 short of its goal.
The recent lag in pace may be a result of decreasing numbers of volunteers for the campaign effort, according to Ald. Austin King, District 8.
""We've been gradually losing volunteers, and a lot of the volunteer work may have become routine,"" King said.
In response, Lindstrom, head of the campaign, has organized a ""Day of Action"" in order to mobilize students.
""This is an opportunity to break up the routine and to get volunteers who didn't know opportunities to help existed,"" King said.
However, both King and Lindstrom have denied the campaign might fail.
""We are supremely confident that we will reach 13,000 signatures,"" Lindstrom said. ""The e-mail was sent out as a form of motivation.""
King also said he thought the project was doing very well and projected the required signatures would be procured on pace.
However, while King and Lindstrom both affirmed their confidence in the project, some opponents of the charter ordinance see the e-mail as a sign the charter ordinance might fail.
""I don't think the charter ordinance is the right way to go about it,"" said Stephanie Rearick, who supports an alternative wage increase ordinance that will go through the city council.
""The charter ordinance did not take any local businesses into account when it was drafted, and local businesses are already at a disadvantage. The mayor's ordinance can be tweaked, while the language of the charter ordinance cannot be changed until two years after it is passed,"" Rearick said.
Supporters of the charter ordinance have expressed concern that any ordinance passed by the city council may be ""watered down"" to a point where it will not help any employees.
Volunteers for the ""Day of Action"" will meet Saturday on Library Mall in hopes of raising 1,000 signatures for the day.
