Tag Archives: Minimum Wage

Give tipped workers raises, not roses, this Valentine’s Day

For most Americans, Valentine’s Day is a lighthearted holiday filled with roses, chocolates, and maybe even a few of Cupid’s arrows. But for the 12 million workers in America’s restaurant industry, February 14th is one of their busiest days of the year. If you are one of the millions of Americans going out to eat tonight, you may be interested to know how much – or, more accurately, how little – your … Continue reading Give tipped workers raises, not roses, this Valentine’s Day »

The Other NRA is Exploiting Workers

We’ve known for a long time that the National Restaurant Association (the “other” NRA) is an awful organization. As a representative of some of the biggest, most profitable, and often most exploitative businesses in the restaurant industry, the NRA has fought for years to keep the tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers as low as possible. Unfortunately, it’s been largely successful and has kept Congress … Continue reading The Other NRA is Exploiting Workers »

Florida’s Minimum Wage Is Not a Living Wage

There isn’t a single state in the country where an individual can afford a modest one-bedroom apartment at fair market rent on the current minimum wage. Not one. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering the increased cost of living over the years (inflation rates have jumped to 7.75% this year alone) and the stagnant federal minimum wage (which hasn’t been raised since 2009). But what … Continue reading Florida’s Minimum Wage Is Not a Living Wage »

Rep. Cuellar’s Labor Bill is Blatantly Anti-Worker

This week, the country’s most exploitative corporations are getting a big win from Representative Henry Cuellar, who once again proved his allegiance lies with corporate America after his introduction of one of the most appalling bills of the year: the Orwellian named H.R.8442 – Worker Flexibility and Choice Act. This bill, which would exempt huge swaths of the workforce from federal minimum wage and overtime … Continue reading Rep. Cuellar’s Labor Bill is Blatantly Anti-Worker »

13 years of $7.25 is shameful

In case you missed it, this past Sunday (July 24), the United States reached a sad anniversary. It has now been thirteen years since Congress last raised the federal minimum wage to $7.25. $7.25 was already inadequate back in 2009, but today it is downright deplorable. Here are some key facts to put Congress’s failure on this issue into perspective: A full-time minimum wage worker … Continue reading 13 years of $7.25 is shameful »

Understanding the Ableist Subminimum Wage During Disability Pride Month

Although many do not realize it, pride doesn’t end in June–it rolls right into July with Disability Pride month! With more than 61 million Americans living with a disability, and many more likely to develop some form of disability throughout their life, this month is desperately needed. Unfortunately, this significant minority is often overlooked by society and grossly discriminated against in the labor field. Workers … Continue reading Understanding the Ableist Subminimum Wage During Disability Pride Month »

Facing Inflation, Congress Must Raise the Minimum Wage

Nearly everyone is feeling the effects of inflation these days. With an 8.5% inflation rate over the last year, prices are rising in almost every sector of our economy, and millions of American families are having a harder time affording the essentials. While this is a widespread crisis, it’s one that is particularly devastating for our nation’s low-wage workers. The federal minimum wage currently sits … Continue reading Facing Inflation, Congress Must Raise the Minimum Wage »

Maggie Hassan Is Trying to Make Raphael Warnock Lose

Is Maggie Hassan (NH) about to cost Raphael Warnock (GA) his Senate seat? The answer is, quite likely, yes. How? By personally blocking the $15 minimum wage bill that Sen. Warnock ran on – and that exit polls show he won on. To add insult to injury, Hassan patently refuses to offer an alternative to the bill that has already passed in the House. The … Continue reading Maggie Hassan Is Trying to Make Raphael Warnock Lose »

The Value of Labor

As we come out of Labor Day weekend, let’s talk about labor. More specifically, let’s talk about the way the law treats labor. You’ve likely heard dozens of politicians talk endlessly about how American workers are the backbone of our country, and how the value their labor creates for their communities is what makes America great. But talk is cheap. When it comes to what … Continue reading The Value of Labor »

It’s Time for Pennsylvania to Raise its Minimum Wage

Earlier this month, Pennsylvania hit a shameful milestone: 15 years since the state’s minimum wage was last raised. Governor Tom Wolf and Democratic state lawmakers took this opportunity to call on the state’s Republican-led legislature to join them and take action in addressing Pennsylvania’s wage crisis. Gov. Wolf has pushed for policies that would immediately raise the state’s minimum wage to $12/hour, with subsequent $.50 … Continue reading It’s Time for Pennsylvania to Raise its Minimum Wage »

Life Without A Living Wage

Unsplash | Dan Smedley

Being poor in America is expensive. The 16% of our population that lives in poverty faces a daily barrage of hidden fees, fines, and predatory interest rates almost perfectly designed to keep them trapped in poverty.  To be poor in America is far more difficult and complicated than it is often presented as. Things can quickly spin out of control when hidden costs start to … Continue reading Life Without A Living Wage »

Parliamentarians, Byrd rule, and reconciliation

With only 50 Democrats in the Senate, supporters of President Biden’s COVID relief package don’t have the 60 votes necessary to overcome the filibuster and pass it as standard legislation. They also haven’t demonstrated a willingness to abolish the filibuster, leaving Senate Dems with one option: budget reconciliation. This process allows a simple majority to pass legislation by incorporating it into the budget, but it … Continue reading Parliamentarians, Byrd rule, and reconciliation »

13 Senators Oppose Helping Their Very Own States

The federal minimum wage has remained at a deplorable amount of $7.25 an hour since 2009, despite the substantial increase in worker productivity and costs of living across the country. Luckily, The Raise the Wage Act of 2021 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 26th to remedy this injustice.   As President Joe Biden pushes for the increase of the minimum wage … Continue reading 13 Senators Oppose Helping Their Very Own States »

The For the People Act, the first step to healing America

With their first full week in control of the House, Senate, and the Presidency underway, Congressional Democrats are prioritizing the For the People Act, a comprehensive set of reforms to end special interest control of Washington.. That’s cause to celebrate. In a recent 2020 poll of voters across party lines, a whopping 67% said they support the bill, including a majority of Republicans and independents. … Continue reading The For the People Act, the first step to healing America »

Economic Recovery and The Fight for $15

Now that Joe Biden has been officially sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, we have a Democratic Congress in lockstep with the new administration on an array of critical economic relief measures. We can now begin the real work toward economic recovery. That starts with raising the minimum wage. President Biden has already made his stance on the job and wage … Continue reading Economic Recovery and The Fight for $15 »

Prisoners Deserve a Fair Wage Too

As wildfires raged across the West Coast this summer, California faced a uniquely American problem: they were short on their usual band of inmate firefighters—who usually work for under $2 a day—after many had been released to limit the spread of COVID-19. In a cruel twist, California would not hire formerly incarcerated individuals with years of firefighting experience due to their prior convictions, despite the … Continue reading Prisoners Deserve a Fair Wage Too »

Year In Review: 2019

As 2019 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to look back at the major events that impacted the state of the economy – and the national conversation around our three core issues – as we enter the new year, and the many policy developments this year that are giving us hope for better, brighter decade to come. 

The Bare Minimum Series: Jobs and Businesses

Raising the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour will lift millions of Americans out of working poverty – and it’s scaring a lot of special interests who profit from keeping people poor. In this series, we’re dismantling the myths, one by one, that Raise the Wage opponents use to try and stop 40 million workers from making the money they deserve.  This … Continue reading The Bare Minimum Series: Jobs and Businesses »

The Bare Minimum Series: One Fair Wage

The federal minimum wage for tipped workers has been stuck at $2.13 an hour since 1991. This means that if you’re a restaurant server, bartender, hairdresser, ride-share driver, or other worker that receives tips, your employer is only required to pay you $2.13 an hour. Even with this meager requirement, there have been countless instances of wage theft, thanks to today’s age of credit cards, … Continue reading The Bare Minimum Series: One Fair Wage »