by Mike Hall, Jan 2, 2007

Workers in 14 states won’t have to wait until the new Congress passes an increase in the federal minimum wage. Some saw their pay jump Jan. 1 as new minimum wage laws passed by voters and legislatures last year took effect. In addition, automatic cost of living adjustments (COLAs) included in other state minimum wage laws kicked in for others on New Year’s Day.

Last year, as the Republican-controlled Congress continued its 10-year fight against raising the federal minimum wage ($5.15 an hour), the AFL-CIO’s America Needs a Raise campaign, along with progressive allies such as ACORN, took the fight to the state level.

The overwhelmingly popular and successful mobilization won minimum wage increases in 17 states through legislation or ballot box victories. The highlight came Nov. 7 when voters in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio resoundingly approved minimum wage ballot measures. Now, 26 states and the District of Columbia have higher minimum wages than the federal rate.

Most of the increases took effect Jan. 1, and the remaining will go into effect later this year. The Jan. 1 wage boosts (including COLA adjustments) cover workers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Vermont and Washington.

In deciding change was needed in Washington, voters on Nov. 7 also booted the Republican majority out of Congress. Now in control of the agenda, Democratic leaders in the U.S. House and Senate say a minimum wage increase is on the front burner.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has set Jan. 10 as the day the House will vote on what is expected to be H.R. 2—a no-strings-attached bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. The Senate is expected to follow soon after.

Last month President Bush said he supported a minimum wage increase but wanted to see tax breaks and other business giveaways included. In the Senate, Republicans could try to add the Bush business bonuses by using a filibuster or other rules to force a 60-vote requirement instead of a simple majority for a win on a “clean” minimum wage bill. But it is not clear if they intend to pursue that roadblock strategy.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says it’s time to:

…give America’s lowest paid workers the “clean”—no strings attached—$2.10 raise they justly deserve….Such an increase helps everyone and hurts no one.

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