What quality of life can minimum wage workers afford?
From Thursday's
PBS NewsHour: Washington state has the highest minimum wage in the nation at $9.32. Can the state's low-wage workers can meet their basic needs without assistance? Economics correspondent Paul Solman explores the quality of life for a baggage handler at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport and an employee of McDonald's.
Link to
transcript, which includes this correction issued the next day on-air:
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story said that Joshua Vina handled baggage for Alaska Airlines. Vina moves baggage for other airlines at Sea-Tac Airport, but not for Alaska Airlines. His anger towards the CEO of Alaska Airlines stems from the fact that Alaska Airlines is the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit that has so far blocked implementation of a local proposition, passed by SeaTac voters last fall, which would have guaranteed airport workers like Vina a $15 an hour minimum wage and paid sick leave.