For Immediate Release
Contact: Natalia Pérez Santos
Email: NPerezSantos@afscme.org

Raising the Minimum Wage Will Strengthen the Working Class

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.”