Weekly Address: Calling on Congress to Raise the Minimum Wage

[cal04]

Source: White House

This week, President Obama took action to lift more workers’ wages by requiring that federal contractors pay their employees a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour. In this week’s address, he highlights that executive action and calls on Congress to pass a bill to raise the federal minimum wage for all workers.

(snip)
Right now, there’s a bill in Congress that would boost America’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. That’s easy to remember: ten-ten. And remember, the average worker who would get a raise if Congress acts is about 35 years old. Most lower-wage jobs are held by women. And raising the minimum wage wouldn’t just raise their wages – its effect would lift wages for about 28 million Americans. It would lift millions of Americans out of poverty, and help millions more work their way out of poverty – without requiring a single dollar in new taxes or spending. It will give more businesses more customers with more money to spend – and that means growing the economy for everyone.

You deserve to know where the people who represent you stand on this. If they don’t support raising the federal minimum wage to ten-ten an hour, ask them “why not?” The opponents of raising folks’ wages have deployed the same old arguments for years, and time and again, they’ve been proven wrong. Let’s prove them wrong again, and give America a raise. Let’s make opportunity easier to come by for every American who’s willing to work for it.

Read more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/15/weekly-address-calling-congress-raise-minimum-wage

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/02/15/weekly-address-calling-congress-raise-minimum-wage

[Coyotl]

1. K&R

[Iliyah]

2. K & R

Good luck on that, GOPers don't want Americans to live comfortably because they only think the 1-2%ers are the only ones "entitled".

[dotymed]

3. Minium wage jobs used to be for H.S. students

and those just entering the work force.

What the government claims is "poverty level" is ludicrous. Here is the 2013 table:

2013 POVERTY GUIDELINES FOR THE 48 CONTIGUOUS STATES
AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA


Persons in family/household

Poverty guideline


For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $4,020 for each additional person.

1 $11,490
2 15,510
3 19,530
4 23,550
5 27,570
6 31,590
7 35,610
8 39,630

WOW. Add $4020 for each additional person. So, if a person earns $11,500, that person is not considered "in poverty?"
Can a family of four exist $25,000 a year? They would not be considered "living in poverty."
IF that family of four could find a "home" for $700 a month, then (not counting first, last months rent and deposit ($2100) that would cost $8,400, that would leave this non-impoverished family, $16,600. Utilities...about $250 a month (no cable teevee, computer...) they spend $3000 for that. Leaving $13,000 a YEAR to eat, buy clothes, pay for school (which is outrageous these days). Conservatively (no steak or name brand clothes) another $800 a month (been grocery shopping lately?) that is another $9,600, leaving
$3,400 for the year. Health insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles? $3400 would not cover that. Transportation(car pymt., GAS, mechanic, upkeep) no money left and I have been very conservative in my pricing.
Remember, this is a 4 member family, earning above "poverty level" income. I have not included any entertainment nor what are considered essentials before their money was gone.
No health care which is more expensive in America than anywhere else. No transportation.

Over 95% of the income increases went to 1% of Americans last year. That leaves 5% of income increases. Consider the next 19% of Americas richest citizens, there goes at least 3% more....
This is insane.. But, hey, these people are above the poverty level.

[riversedge]

4. teaparty @GovWalker in #Wisconsin still believes mimimun wage jobs are for teens

[Cha]

5. Thanks Obama!

mahalo cal

[24601]

6. I find it interesting that the President has issued an Executive Order affecting pay for those on

federal contracts - raising the minimum pay to $10.10 per hour. In the meantime, the federal civil service pay for GS-1, Step 1 is only $9.87 per hour. Calculation is based on annual Grade 1/Step1 salary at $20,527*. Divide that by the 26 Federal pay periods per year and the 80 hours per pay period and it computes to an hourly rate of $9.87.

* Based on the Rest of the US (RUS) scale, the lowest civil service rate based on locality variances. The RUS pay is 14.16% over the civil service base rate. The highest locality rate is 35.15% for those working in San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland. The locality rate for the Washington DC area is 24.22%.

The President's Executive Order affecting federal contract pay raises the amount from $7.25 to $10.10 which represents an increase of 39.31%.

Pay for federal civil servants received a 1% pay raise this January. This is the first civil service pay raise since January 2010. From Jan 2010 to Jan 2014, the average pay increase is 1/4 of 1%.

To place it into context, the President alone sets civil service pay by an annual memorandum he signs each December. Here's the link to the December 2013 memorandum: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/pay-executive-order-2014-adjustments-of-certain-rates-of-pay.pdf

[Ash_F]

7. Thank goodness. /nt