Sen. John Kerry - 36 % hike in the fed min wage over 3 yrs...aids 7million

[cthrumatrix]

Kerry backs minimum wage hike
He says inflation has wiped out past gains
- Paul Farhi, Washington Post
Saturday, June 19, 2004


Washington -- Sen. John Kerry called for a 36 percent hike in the federal minimum wage over the next three years, saying Friday that such an increase would help 7 million working people escape poverty.

The current federal minimum, established eight years ago, is $5.15 an hour. Kerry, D-Mass., supports legislation introduced in April by fellow Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Edward Kennedy that would raise the rate in steps to $7 an hour by 2007.

Kerry's advocacy of an increased minimum was part of a weeklong series of speeches and proposals designed to highlight economic issues for families and the working class. Democrats have typically advocated increasing the minimum, which plays well with less affluent voters. Republicans tend to oppose such proposals, saying that increases hurt the least skilled workers by forcing employers to cut back when labor costs rise.


http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/06/19/MNGQJ78QAB1.DTL&type=printable

about damn time we get somebody who gives a shit about the workers in america...the wage disparity is getting worse and worse

[cthrumatrix]

1. bush is against raising the min wage.... and poverty is up...makes sense

Economy: Working Women and Families Face the Bush Squeeze
Many American Families are Finding It Harder to Get Ahead. Since Bush took office, household income and wages have failed to grow, while poverty and unemployment have expanded. Many families are finding it hard to get ahead or even just get by.

Median Household Income is Down. Census data shows that median household income (the point at the middle of the income scale) fell 3.3 percent since 2000, a loss of $1,439 per household.

Middle and Low-Income Wages Declining. In 2003, those at the middle and lower earning levels saw their weekly wages decline, while those in the top 10 percent saw significant gains.

Poverty Levels Are Up. In 2002, the number of Americans living in poverty increased to 34.6 million; an increase of 3.5 million under Bush -- and the majority are women.

http://www.democrats.org/specialreports/womenrecord/

[bluestateguy]

2. I mean raising the minimum wage was such a disaster last time

The minimum wage was raised last in October of 1996. Where were all those job losses that we were promised by the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the Chamber of Commerce?



mark my words, though: you put Bush in and there will be no increase for the next 4 years.

[cthrumatrix]

3. this is a "battle"....people vs the corporations who "abuse" workers

to fatten their bottom line...plainand simple.

wake up America.