Workers across the country face difficulties making ends meet; the same is true in Washington State. Two years ago, in an attempt to help the minimum wage keep pace with increased cost of living, voters in Washington State approved Initiative 1433. While that provided a much-need- ed boost to the state’s minimum wage, workers andContinue reading “Still Struggling to Make Ends Meet: A report on living wages in Washington State”
Category Archives: Minimum Wage
Payup New York! Livestream on Minimum Wage
How much does it take to make ends meet? Nationally, a single adult needs $16.87 an hour, and in New York they need $19.90 – just to meet basic needs and an occasional minor emergency. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 and New York’s minimum wage of $8.75 fall far short. A minimum wage workerContinue reading “Payup New York! Livestream on Minimum Wage”
Pay Up! Long Hours and Low Pay Leave Workers at a Loss
In recent years, a number of cities have raised their minimum wage to $15 an hour, which is significantly above federal and state minimum wages. These changes have prompted debate around the country regarding what constitutes an adequate minimum. This report contributes to that conversation by providing living wage figures, finding that current minimum wageContinue reading “Pay Up! Long Hours and Low Pay Leave Workers at a Loss”
Collective Bargaining is a Valuable Tool for Workers to Make Ends Meet
Working full-time should allow workers to make ends meet; instead, many workers across the country continue to be paid wages that leave them living paycheck-to-paycheck. As we’ve shown in our Job Gap Economic Prosperity Series since 1999, a living wage is well above the minimum wage that too many workers are paid. Our recent report,Continue reading “Collective Bargaining is a Valuable Tool for Workers to Make Ends Meet”
NY Fast food workers win $15 minimum wage
Fast food workers in New York are getting a raise! Hard work by our affiliates Citizen Action New York and Make the Road New York – along with dozens of other allied organizations and unions, and thousands of workers who took to the streets and shared their personal stories – has paid off in a hugeContinue reading “NY Fast food workers win $15 minimum wage”
Fast Food Workers in New York are Getting a Raise!
Hard work by our affiliate Citizen Action of New York – along with dozens of other allied organizations and unions, and thousands of workers who took to the streets and shared their personal stories – has paid off in a huge victory. Yesterday, the New York State Wage Board approved gradually raising the minimum wage for NewContinue reading “Fast Food Workers in New York are Getting a Raise!”
Los Angeles is Biggest City to Enact $15 Minimum Wage
Los Angeles has become the biggest city in the nation to gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, Los Angeles City Council members voted 13-1 today to more than double the federal wage by 2020. Los Angeles City Council members signaled two weeks ago that they would raise the minimum wage, and tookContinue reading “Los Angeles is Biggest City to Enact $15 Minimum Wage”
Job Gap Research is Key as New York Groups Fight for Fair Wages
Fast food workers in New York took another big step toward winning fair wages two weeks ago when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the convening of a new Wage Board to examine and make recommendations about increasing the minimum wage in the state’s fast food industry. Cuomo’s office has now announced the next steps in theContinue reading “Job Gap Research is Key as New York Groups Fight for Fair Wages”
Low-Wage Job Growth a Major Factor in Income Inequality. Patience is Not the Answer.
In response to the New York Times’ Jan. 27 Upshot piece, “Gains From Economic Recovery Still Limited to Top One Percent,” we appreciate the effort to report on the historic, staggering and blatant income inequality that has taken hold of America. This piece made some excellent points around the continuing inequality crisis. However, we have an answerContinue reading “Low-Wage Job Growth a Major Factor in Income Inequality. Patience is Not the Answer.”
“A Full-Time Job Should Lead to Financial Stability, Not to Poverty”
For Immediate Release January 27, 2015 “A Full-Time Job Should Lead to Financial Stability, Not to Poverty” Most of America’s job growth is taking place in low-wage occupations WASHINGTON – Half of all new jobs nationwide don’t pay enough for a full-time worker to live on – much less a single parent with a child.Continue reading ““A Full-Time Job Should Lead to Financial Stability, Not to Poverty””