IAM Makes the Case for a Minimum Wage Hike
May 13, 2014
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Congress failed once again to help America’s most vulnerable workers when it killed the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, a bill to raise the minimum wage to $10.10. In an op-ed published in Roll Call, IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger made a strong case for why Congress was wrong and why raising the minimum wage is good for America’s middle class and the nation’s economy.
“Congress has not voted to increase the federal minimum wage in seven years, and their failure to do so, along with our inadequate labor laws, has directly contributed to our slow economic recovery,” said Buffenbarger. “If wages were tied directly to worker productivity, the minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, would be $18.67. The legislation to raise the wage to $10.10 seemed modest in comparison. A higher minimum wage would have improved the lives of so many low-income Americans, increasing consumer spending and promoting positive ripple effects throughout the economy.”
Buffenbarger reiterated the IAM’s strong support for helping low-income workers. IAM members “continue to relentlessly support a federal minimum wage increase. While they earn more than the minimum wage, they know we’re all in this together. They know that increasing the federal minimum wage is not only the right thing to do, but doing so will grow the middle class and make our economy more stable.”
IAM members are urged to keep the pressure on Congress to do the right thing and pass the Minimum Wage Fairness Act.
Click here to read the entire op-ed.
