North Carolina Workers Get a Minimum Wage Boost—How About Massachusetts?

by Mike Hall, Jul 17, 2006

The AFL-CIO America Needs a Raise campaign to raise the minimum wage continues to chalk up victories in state houses around the country, the latest in North Carolina and Massachusetts. The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $5.15 an hour since 1997, but Republican leaders in Congress apparently see no need to rush into things and continue to stall action on increasing the federal wage.

In North Carolina, Gov. Mike Easley (D) signed a bill to boost the Tar Heel State’s minimum wage $1 above the federal level to $6.15 an hour. Easley says:

While we wait on Washington to take meaningful action to provide economic security for our working families, this measure raises the minimum wage by $1. The increase will help many North Carolinians cope with the rising costs of transportation, housing, healthcare and other basic needs so they can build better lives.

Rep. Alma Adams (D), who helped lead the North Carolina legislative fight to raise the minimum wage, says:

Raising the minimum wage by this first dollar is a small but significant step in the right direction toward a living wage. It sends a powerful message that North Carolina values hard work and is concerned about working poor families and the “least of these” among us who need a lift up.

Also last week, the Massachusetts Legislature ironed out differences in House and Senate bills and sent Gov. Mitt Romney (R) a bill that increases the state’s minimum wage from its current $6.75 an hour to $8 an hour in two steps. He has not said if he will sign it.

Activists in both states kept the pressure on lawmakers with e-mails, phone calls, rallies and worker forums to spotlight the need to raise the minimum wage.   

So far this year, 10 states have passed a minimum wage increase, and Romney can make that 11 if he signs the bill. In addition, activists are working to bring the issue to the voters via ballot initiatives in six states this fall.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes says it’s up to Romney “to give workers the raise they have been waiting for these last five and a half years.”

We urge Governor Romney to move swiftly and sign this bill into law so that workers can count on a raise come the New Year. Unions always have pursued measures that would improve the quality of life for workers, and clearly this bill will do that. It will still not be easy to support a family on this wage, but it will be significantly less difficult than it was. If you live in Massachusetts, you can call Romney at 617-725-4005 or e-mail by clicking here and urging him to sign the bill. The America Needs a Raise campaign also is prodding Congress to act to raise the minimum wage, with activists taking part in more than 20 events scheduled around the country—such as last week’s special forum in Louisville, Ky. The actions coincide with this month’s 10th anniversary marking the last time Congress voted to raise the minimum wage. Meanwhile, little has changed since last week when we told you that congressional Republican leaders continue to block votes in the House and Senate to raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, as called for in legislation (H.R. 2429 and S. 1062) sponsored by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).

The latest twist comes from the House, where leaders, sensing growing public dissatisfaction with their stalling tactics and fearful of a voter backlash in November, promsied earlier this month to “deal” with the issue. Like an earlier Senate Republican ploy, any minimum wage proposal backed by Republican leaders is expected to carry a lot of baggage, including rolling back labor protections for workers, more business tax cuts and a lower and slower raise. There is word now House Republican leaders may revisit a millionaires’ estate tax cut bill the House passed in June. Congressional insiders say their thinking goes something like this—attach a minimum wage proposal to a revived and revised estate tax bill in a move to try to force Democrats to either vote against a minimum wage increase or vote for yet another tax break for the wealthy. We will keep you posted on this and any other scam to avoid  a simple “yes” or “no” vote on raising the minimum wage.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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