The minimum wage
shouldn’t force workers to live in poverty.
By
On
New Year’s Day, 20 states raised their minimum wages. That leaves a lot of
states that aren’t increasing the minimum wage — along with the federal
government.
Even
some of those employees who are getting increases don’t have much to
celebrate. Workers in Florida might barely notice their 12-cents-an-hour raise.
And the extra 15 cents an hour in Montana, Arizona, and Missouri will be wiped
out with inflation and climbing costs before the first paycheck is deposited.
U.S.
legislators have refused since 2009 to raise the federal minimum wage from
$7.25 an hour — not even close to enough for full-time workers to make ends
meet.
To
put it bluntly, minimum wage is a poverty wage. Yet only 29 states have minimum
wage rates higher than the federal rate — and some just barely.
Although
Congress turned a deaf ear, activists took up the challenge. “Fight for $15”
movements across the country won among the most powerful progressive victories
of 2014.
Cheers
to cities like Seattle and San Francisco with minimum wage plans that will
increase rates to $15 an hour in the next few years. Huge congratulations to
voters in Oakland, California, as well in Arkansas, South Dakota, Nebraska, and
others who voted for significant minimum wage increases.
But
the truth is, while it’s a great start, none of these increases goes far
enough, or lifts workers out of poverty fast enough. What’s needed is a living
wage that allows full-time workers to cover their basic needs and have a little
savings left over in case of an emergency.
The Job Gap
Economic Prosperity series —
a collection of research reports by theAlliance
for a Just Society —
shows that a living wage comes to over $15 an hour for a single adult in most
states studied. A parent supporting a child needs to earn closer to $22 or $23
an hour.
Women
and people of color are least likely to earn a living wage, with half
or more working full-time and not making enough to make ends meet.
Poverty-level
pay is taken for granted at restaurant chains like McDonald’s and Dunkin’
Donuts, and major retailers like Wal-Mart, that would rather invest in
government lobbyists to keep wages low than in their employees.
“If
you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than
$15,000 a year, go try it,” Obama implored Congress in his latest State of the
Union address. “If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in
America a raise.”
The sub-minimum wage for tipped workers has been stuck at $2.13 an hour for 24
long years.
Imagine going to work every day, hoping beyond hope that the tips
will make up for the tiny hourly wage. No worker should be a second-class
employee.
Refusing
to pay employees a wage they can live on isn’t a business plan. Paying
employees enough so they can shop or dine at your business or neighboring
businesses and grow the local economy — now that’s smart.
A
full-time job should lead to financial stability, not poverty. We must continue
to push Congress to raise the federal minimum wage and abolish the separate
tipped minimum wage.
In
the meantime, keep up the “Fight for $15.” We know that we can motivate our
mayors, city councils, and state legislators by speaking out, sharing our
stories, and presenting the facts. Most importantly, we have to vote.
Let’s
make 2015 the year for $15 — and really have something to celebrate next New
Year.
LeeAnn Hall is
the executive director of Alliance for a Just Society, a national research,
policy, and organizing network striving for economic and social equity.
AllianceforaJustSociety.org
Distributed via OtherWords.org
Distributed via OtherWords.org
