The debate in Congress continues about whether to raise the minimum wage, and Democrats apparently are willing to forego their COLA increase to force the raise through:
Democrats ratcheted up their election-year push for an increase in the federal minimum wage Tuesday by promising to block a congressional pay hike unless some of the lowest-paid hourly workers get their first raise in nearly a decade.
“Congress is going to have earn its raise by putting American workers first: A raise for workers before a raise for Congress,” said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
While Polimom suspects everything is grandstanding at the moment, I can’t say I disagree with the sentiment — particularly since
A majority of senators are on record in favor of increasing the minimum wage, which currently brings a salary of $10,700 a year for full-time workers, about $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three.
I’ve read any number of opinions about what a small percentage of the work force is affected, and how few people actually stay at such a wage, but in truth, Polimom knows quite a few folks who earn minimum wage… and that’s all they’ll ever earn.
Yup — time for the gander to either give it up for the goose… or just give it up.
(Prior post on this, here.)