21 states raising minimum wage on January 1

[spanone]

The New Year will start well for over 3 million workers -- they're getting a raise.

Employers in 21 states and Washington D.C. will hike their minimum wages on January 1.

This has been a huge year for low wage workers. Sparked by a wave of fast food and retail worker protests, more than a dozen states like Alaska, South Dakota and Nebraska and many cities such as Seattle and Oakland have jumped on the momentum and passed new laws to raise the minimum wage.

"We've seen a historic number of states increasing their minimum wages," said David Cooper, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, which researches minimum wage issues. "People's understanding of where the wage floor should be has changed a lot, and in part caused by strikes and protests."

It could certainly be a big day for Wayne Davis, who earns $8.25 an hour at McDonald's (MCD) in Tampa, Florida. Davis earns 20 cents more than Florida's new minimum wage of $8.05. But workers across the board are likely see a pay bump, labor experts say.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/30/news/economy/2015-minimum-wage-january-1/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Cha]

1. It's a Good Start, spanone! Mahalo!

[spanone]

3. you're right Cha!

[Cha]

4. And to you, sweet spanone~

[elleng]

2. Good news!

Will likely result in continued good numbers for economy, and these will be substantive: More people spending real money IN the U.S. has consequences.

[babylonsister]

5. Good news shouldn't sink! Thanks, spanone!

[spanone]

8. thank you

[OldRedneck]

6. How many of these states are controlled by . . .

Republican legislatures and Republican governors?

[NewDeal_Dem]

7. Wayne davis earns $8.25 at McDonald's and Florida's new minimum will be $8.05. Even if they

raise his pay .20 cents to keep up with the minimum wage hike, it would be $1.60 a day extra for an 8-hour day, or $8 a week, or $416 a year ($35 a month).

He'd be making $67.60 for an 8 hour day.

Big times.

[Fred Sanders]

13. It is a start, the fucking GOP stands in the way of much better...

[NewDeal_Dem]

14. a start? it's a joke, and still lower than minimum in the early 70s.

[hibbing]

9. won here

People are so screwed up. The raise was on the ballot in my state and passed by a huge margin, but a nutjob billionaire who inherited his wealth was elected governor, who never ever would have supported a raise in the minimum wage.

Peace

[lovemydog]

10. Hooray for some good news.

We need to keep raising it higher. Anyone who works 40 hours per week should not be poor. There was once a time when that was true. Let's make it true in the future.

We also need to reduce or eliminate taxes on the poor and double, triple, quadruple taxes on the rich. Remember that under Eisenhower the top marginal income tax was 80%.

This is a good start. Thank you and happy new year spanone.

[NBachers]

11. Let's keep an eye on the economies of these 21 states, and see what happens.

[1step]

12. We're still not where we need to be

But I'll K&R progress, however incremental.