The Minimum Wage hasn't been raised for 6 years! Let's change that!
The minimum wage is back in the news! Talking political heads, candidates, and even your crazy uncle continue to debate the merits of the minimum wage despite the fact that study after study shows that raising the minimum wage grows jobs and boosts the economy.
Moms and dads with commonsense to the rescue! We know that raising the minimum wage is a win-win for everyone.
It’s time to pump up the volume. Raising the minimum wage is gaining momentum! And your voice is needed to keep the wins coming. During the last election, four states (Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota) plus cities in California and counties in Wisconsin voted to raise the minimum wage. This has led to more and more of our families being able to lift themselves out of poverty, all while more money is getting funneled into the local economy. A win-win!
Here’s the lowdown: On July 24th it will be six years since the U.S. Congress gave American workers a raise. A mom working full-time earning the federal minimum wage makes $15,080 a year. A mom shouldn’t have to be lucky enough to live in a state where the minimum wage is raised by the voters just to be able to provide for her family! No one working a full-time job should be forced to live in poverty.
It’s time that Congress raises the wage to $12/hour by supporting the Raise the Wage Act, introduced by U.S. Senator Patty Murray and Representative Bobby Scott in April. A $12/hour raise would make a big difference to our families. In fact, 37.7 million workers would benefit from this increase—75% of whom are moms! 37% of African American workers and 40% of Hispanic workers would receive wage increases.
And our economy would benefit big time as well. A minimum wage increase to $12 would pump billions of dollars into the U.S. economy, benefiting Main Street businesses, which are fueled by consumer spending.
Let’s not let another year pass us by without a raise in the minimum wage!
The current minimum wage is $7.25/hour. This is a wage that is forcing millions of working families to live in poverty. And let’s be honest, the minimum wage just isn’t what it use to be. The value of the minimum wage has fallen sharply over the past forty-five years. Adjusting for inflation, minimum wage workers earn less today than they did in the late 1960s. That’s not ok!
Together, we are unstoppable. Together, we can make a difference for workers and their families. Together, we can raise the wage!
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