Poverty Report Highlights Inadequacy of Current Minimum Wage
A new report from the Economic Policy Institute examining the 2007 federal poverty guidelines highlights the severe and growing inadequacy of the current minimum wage.
A full-time minimum wage worker currently earns $10,712 a year, nearly 40 percent below the $17,170 poverty level for a family of three.
Read the entire EPI Economic Snapshot.
Senate Republicans Refuse to Give Low-Wage Workers a Raise
Millions of minimum wage workers will now have to wait for a raise, after Senate Republicans refused to increase the minimum wage without tacking on more lucrative tax breaks for businesses.
The Senate voted 54-43 for a “clean” increase in the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over the next two years. But the mostly Republican opponents of a clean minimum wage increase filibustered the measure, and it takes 60 votes to end debate on a filibustered bill.
The Senate is now expected to take up and pass a minimum wage bill that includes tax breaks and other giveaways for businesses. House Democratic leaders have pledged to fight for a “clean” wage hike during the House/Senate conference that will be required to work out the differences in the two bills.
As part of their 100-hour agenda to pass legislation beneficial to working families, the Democrat-led House passed a “clean” minimum wage increase by a vote of 315-116. Almost 90 percent of Americans support an increase in the minimum wage, which is at its lowest real value in 51 years. Studies have shown increasing the minimum wage would improve the lives of 13 million Americans.
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See how your Senator voted here.
House Passes ‘Clean’ Minimum Wage Hike
The House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over the next two years. The measure, which passed by a 315-116 vote, would give many low-wage workers their first raise in nearly a decade.
The minimum wage is currently at its lowest real value in 51 years and an increase would positively impact nearly 13 million Americans.
While House Democrats succeeded in passing a “clean bill”, the measure will now head to the Senate where many Republicans will work hard to include tax breaks for small businesses in their version.
“Minimum wage workers are men and women of dignity, and they deserve a fair wage that respects the dignity of their work,” said Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). “I urge my Republican colleagues in the Senate to do the right thing. Put partisan politics aside. Don’t load up the minimum wage bill with poison pills.”
House Set to Vote on Minimum Wage Increase
Lawmakers on Wednesday will take up the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (H.R. 2), which would increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years.
Despite the fact the minimum wage is at its lowest real value in 51 years and an increase would positively impact nearly 13 million Americans, Congress has not increased the minimum wage in nine years.
"It is a moral outrage that millions of Americans who work full time still live in poverty. If we truly value work, then we have to ensure that it is fairly rewarded,” Rep. George Miller (D-CA.), who introduced the bill, said in a statement.
An increase in the minimum wage is supported by 89 percent of Americans, according to a post-midterm election Newsweek poll.
Tell your Congressman to vote for a raise in the minimum wage by clicking here.
Raising the minimum wage to $7.25 is an important first step
For years, Democrats in Congress concerned about the struggles faced by low-wage workers have been trying to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at $5.15 an hour since 1997. For nearly two years, for example, Senator Edward Kennedy and Rep. George Miller have championed a bill to gradually raise the wage floor to $7.25 an hour by 2009, a change that is sorely needed and long overdue.
Read the EPI memo here.
New Year, Better Pay for Some Minimum Wage Workers
Workers in 14 states won’t have to wait until the new Congress passes an increase in the federal minimum wage. Some saw their pay jump Jan. 1 as new minimum wage laws passed by voters and legislatures last year took effect. In addition, automatic cost of living adjustments (COLAs) included in other state minimum wage laws kicked in for others on New Year’s Day.
Read the AFL-CIO Weblog report here.
Democrats Looking to Fast-track Minimum Wage Bill
Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is looking to fast-track efforts to raise the federal minimum wage when Democrats assume control of Congress on January 4.
Pelosi could bring a bill directly to the House floor that would call for a phased-in increase in the current minimum wage of $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour.
Read the Associated Press article here.
Democrats Eye an Increase in the Minimum Wage
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has said last week that increasing the minimum wage will be his top priority as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Kennedy is looking to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour.
“If there’s one message from this election that emerged loud and clear on a domestic issue, it’s raise the minimum wage. No one who works for a living should have to live in poverty! ” Kennedy said.
Read the entire Associated Press article here.
Increasing the Minimum Wage Will Not Cost Jobs
A new study from the Economic Policy Institute shows states that have boosted their minimum wage are not losing jobs as a result of higher wages.
The report, released Monday by the Economic Policy Institute, refutes extremist claims that increasing the minimum wage will cost jobs.
Read the entire report here.
