Raising the Minimum Wage Will Strengthen the Working Class

WASHINGTON — In response to the passage of the Raise the Wage Act, AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement. This legislation will raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and eliminate the exploitative tipped minimum wage:

“This legislation is a long time coming. The federal minimum wage has stayed flat for the last decade, while corporate profits and CEO compensation have skyrocketed. Raising the wage will make a huge difference in the lives of millions of our hardest-working people, many of whom are juggling multiple jobs just to keep their heads above water.

“A $15 minimum wage will reduce inequality and strengthen our communities, lifting families out of poverty and putting upward pressure on wages for everyone. Absolutely everyone working full-time should be able to provide the basic necessities – food, housing, health care and more – that their families need to survive.”