Tyler Prell, 202-730-7278
Issued March 05, 2013
Minimum Wage: Working People Need a Raise
WASHINGTON, DC - Mary Kay Henry, International President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement after the introduction of bills in the House and Senate to raise the federal minimum wage:
Senator Harkin and Congressman Miller have taken a stand for millions of struggling families by introducing bills to raise the federal minimum wage. Working 40 hours a week and making the current minimum wage puts a family of four $7,000 below the poverty line. Nobody with a full-time job should be forced to live in poverty.
"Not only is it the right thing to do, but raising the minimum wage would be good for our economy by putting money into the pockets of workers who are more likely to spend it. An increased minimum wage would also help reduce the growing income inequality that separates the top 1 percent from the rest of us.
"Both the House and Senate should move swiftly to pass these important bills."
With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy.
www.seiu.org
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Updated Jul 15, 2015