Faith and labour groups enjoy US minimum wage successes
-14/07/06
Christian organizati
Faith and labour groups enjoy US minimum wage successes
-14/07/06
Christian organizations in the United States are continuing to push their fair wages for all campaign in cooperation with civic and workers groups, achieving notable breakthroughs in the face of resistance from some legislators and businesses.
North Carolina and Pennsylvania are the latest states in a growing movement to raise the minimum wage for working Americans.
Yesterday (13 June 2006), North Carolina Governor Mike Easley signed into law the bill raising the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania’s governor did the same just last Sunday.
“From Arkansas, Michigan and West Virginia to Pennsylvania and North Carolina, Americans have rejected the 5.15 US dollars an hour minimum wage as too low,” said the Rev Dr Paul Sherry, the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign national coordinator. “A job should keep you out of poverty, not keep you in it,” he added.
The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign, a fast-growing partnership of more than 70 faith and community groups including the National Council of Churches USA, Interfaith Worker Justice and American Friends Service Committee, said the latest minimum wage victories are two more examples that Americans from all backgrounds want a just wage.
“The religious voice was particularly strong in the North Carolina campaign to deliver this long overdue raise,” said Jason Jenkins, state organizer for the national Let Justice Roll Campaign and program associate for the North Carolina Council of Churches, a leading member of the North Carolinians for Fair Wages coalition.
Last Sunday (9 July 2006) Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell signed the state minimum wage raise into law at Sharon Baptist Church in Philadelphia. The church was packed with religious and labour leaders, politicians and workers.
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage will increase in two steps to 7.15 US dollars an hour by 1 July 2007 for employers with more than 10 employees, and in three steps by 1 July 2008 for employers with 10 or fewer full-time employees.
“For our constituents, having a minimum wage that fell far below the federal poverty line for families was simply unjust,” said the Rev Sandra Strauss, director of public advocacy for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches and a Let Justice Roll steering committee member. “While we still have much work to do, increasing the minimum wage is a huge step toward a better life for many Pennsylvanians,” she explained.
Building on success in Arkansas, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Let Justice Roll is working in support of ballot initiatives and legislative efforts to increase the minimum wage in states such as Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana and Ohio.
At the federal level, the Let Justice Roll Campaign is calling on Congress to raise the minimum wage to at least 7.25 US dollars an hour and to oppose any provisions that would weaken existing minimum wage eligibility, overtime protections or other labor laws.
“Talking about values is no substitute for valuing hardworking men and women all across this nation who need a higher minimum wage. We will keep organizing for a decent minimum wage so that workers no longer have to choose between rent and health care, putting food in the refrigerator or gas in the car,” Sherry said.
The Let Justice Roll Campaign believes that raising the minimum wage is good for workers, business and our economy. A recently released report entitled A Just Minimum Wage: Good For Workers, Business and Our Future, by Holly Sklar and the Rev Paul Sherry, counters all the arguments against raising the minimum wage and offers vital new insight into why the minimum wage is so important.
The report argues that raising the minimum wage is an economic imperative for the enduring strength of our workforce, businesses, communities and the economy, as well as a moral imperative for the nation.
Additional information about the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign can be found online.
[Also on Ekklesia: US faith groups to campaign for living wages; Cardinal suggests UK amnesty for illegal immigrants and calls for living wages; Faithful Cities report to criticise government over asylum; Progressive Christians back minimum wage justice call; Catholics to celebrate migrant workers; Wealth needs to be shared, says Faithful Cities commission; Church urban report (Faithful Cities) dismissed as socialism; Is God bankrupt? [PDF file – Ekklesia response to CTBI report to the churches’ on wealth]
Faith and labour groups enjoy US minimum wage successes
-14/07/06
Christian organizations in the United States are continuing to push their fair wages for all campaign in cooperation with civic and workers groups, achieving notable breakthroughs in the face of resistance from some legislators and businesses.
North Carolina and Pennsylvania are the latest states in a growing movement to raise the minimum wage for working Americans.
Yesterday (13 June 2006), North Carolina Governor Mike Easley signed into law the bill raising the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania’s governor did the same just last Sunday.
“From Arkansas, Michigan and West Virginia to Pennsylvania and North Carolina, Americans have rejected the 5.15 US dollars an hour minimum wage as too low,” said the Rev Dr Paul Sherry, the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign national coordinator. “A job should keep you out of poverty, not keep you in it,” he added.
The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign, a fast-growing partnership of more than 70 faith and community groups including the National Council of Churches USA, Interfaith Worker Justice and American Friends Service Committee, said the latest minimum wage victories are two more examples that Americans from all backgrounds want a just wage.
“The religious voice was particularly strong in the North Carolina campaign to deliver this long overdue raise,” said Jason Jenkins, state organizer for the national Let Justice Roll Campaign and program associate for the North Carolina Council of Churches, a leading member of the North Carolinians for Fair Wages coalition.
Last Sunday (9 July 2006) Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell signed the state minimum wage raise into law at Sharon Baptist Church in Philadelphia. The church was packed with religious and labour leaders, politicians and workers.
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage will increase in two steps to 7.15 US dollars an hour by 1 July 2007 for employers with more than 10 employees, and in three steps by 1 July 2008 for employers with 10 or fewer full-time employees.
“For our constituents, having a minimum wage that fell far below the federal poverty line for families was simply unjust,” said the Rev Sandra Strauss, director of public advocacy for the Pennsylvania Council of Churches and a Let Justice Roll steering committee member. “While we still have much work to do, increasing the minimum wage is a huge step toward a better life for many Pennsylvanians,” she explained.
Building on success in Arkansas, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Let Justice Roll is working in support of ballot initiatives and legislative efforts to increase the minimum wage in states such as Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana and Ohio.
At the federal level, the Let Justice Roll Campaign is calling on Congress to raise the minimum wage to at least 7.25 US dollars an hour and to oppose any provisions that would weaken existing minimum wage eligibility, overtime protections or other labor laws.
“Talking about values is no substitute for valuing hardworking men and women all across this nation who need a higher minimum wage. We will keep organizing for a decent minimum wage so that workers no longer have to choose between rent and health care, putting food in the refrigerator or gas in the car,” Sherry said.
The Let Justice Roll Campaign believes that raising the minimum wage is good for workers, business and our economy. A recently released report entitled A Just Minimum Wage: Good For Workers, Business and Our Future, by Holly Sklar and the Rev Paul Sherry, counters all the arguments against raising the minimum wage and offers vital new insight into why the minimum wage is so important.
The report argues that raising the minimum wage is an economic imperative for the enduring strength of our workforce, businesses, communities and the economy, as well as a moral imperative for the nation.
Additional information about the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign can be found online.
[Also on Ekklesia: US faith groups to campaign for living wages; Cardinal suggests UK amnesty for illegal immigrants and calls for living wages; Faithful Cities report to criticise government over asylum; Progressive Christians back minimum wage justice call; Catholics to celebrate migrant workers; Wealth needs to be shared, says Faithful Cities commission; Church urban report (Faithful Cities) dismissed as socialism; Is God bankrupt? [PDF file – Ekklesia response to CTBI report to the churches’ on wealth]