The Struggle for $15 motion, which has been rebranded as Struggle for a Union, has been in a decade-long battle for employees’ rights. Now, their work is paying off.
With wages now not solely a progressive concern, new analysis from the advocacy group Financial Employment Legislation Venture revealed that 21 states throughout the nation will implement minimal wage will increase starting on Jan. 1, 2025. This contains some historically conservative states like Missouri, Arizona, Illinois, Nebraska, Montana, and Alaska.
Moreover, Oregon and Florida might be adopting wage hikes in July, and Missouri and Alaska—states that went to Trump by giant margins—handed poll measures in November to extend the minimal wage to $15 by 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Minimal wages are additionally enhancing on the native degree, with 88 jurisdictions implementing will increase, based on the EELP report.
Nevertheless it’s nonetheless progressive stronghold states which are main the cost with the best wage hikes. Washington can have the best improve at $16.66, with California trailing shut behind at $16.50 for many employees. New York would require $16.50 for employees in New York Metropolis and $15.50 for workers in different areas of the state.
Nevertheless, voters of all political beliefs agree that the minimal wage ought to be elevated.
The present federal minimal wage is $7.25 per hour, and it’s in any other case designated in each state that doesn’t apply the federal minimal wage. It was first handed in 2007 and hasn’t elevated since 2009—the longest stretch with out a rise since america established a federal pay customary in 1938.
Anybody working 40 hours per week on the present federal minimal wage would make simply $15,000 a 12 months. That is the federal poverty degree.
Whereas the Democratic Social gathering has reaffirmed its assist for growing the federal minimal wage, it’s been met with resistance from some Republicans. Although the GOP said in its platform information that “we’ll keep pushing Congress to increase it to at least $15 for all Americans.”
After President Joe Biden expressed assist for elevating the federal minimal wage throughout an October 2020 debate, Donald Trump mentioned that growing the minimal wage would hurt companies.
“He said we have to help our small businesses—by raising the minimum wage? That’s not helping. I think it should be a state option,” he mentioned.
Properly, it seems like states are taking it into their very own palms in spite of everything.
If Congress is unable to behave on elevating the federal minimal wage, states are stepping up to make sure that employees aren’t compelled into poverty and maybe clearing a path to a extra affluent future for employees.
