act now > raise the minimum wage

Last Updated 11/10/06

Please Tell Your Representative to Support a Clean Minimum Wage Bill Now

Could it be a perfect storm for finally raising the federal minimum wage, which has not gone up since 1996? More than 80% of Americans support raising the minimum wage. With many hotly contested Congressional elections in November, moderate Republicans may feel the need to be on the right side of this justice issue.

Please implore your Congressperson to increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour as soon after the 2006 Labor Day recess as possible.

Your immediate action will greatly contribute to Congress raising the federal minimum wage. To urge your Representative to support a clean bill without any poison pills such as tax breaks for the wealthy and language that weakens existing labor protection laws or diminishes other workers’ rights and wages, find your Representative then call toll-free at 1-888-355-3588.

Currently stuck in committee, the Fair Minimum Wage Act can be released for a vote by the full House when a Petition to Discharge has 218 signatures. 192 House members (including 189 Democrats, one Independent and two Republicans) have signed the Petition. Twenty-six more members of Congress need to sign the discharge petition. Even if the remaining 13 Democrats signed, the discharge petition would still need Republican support. Email your Representative to get into action.

Twenty-eight House Republicans recently signaled their support for a federal raise for workers when they signed a Motion to Instruct letter requesting Republican House Majority Leader John Boehner to schedule a minimum wage vote this summer.

Here is an excerpt from that letter:

As you know, it has been nearly ten years since the last increase in the minimum wage. At the current rate, a minimum-wage employee who works 40-hours a week earns $10,700 per year. For a single parent with two children that amount is thousands of dollars below the federal poverty line. Nobody working full time should have to live in poverty. We believe it is time for Congress to take responsible action to raise the minimum wage before the end of July 2006.”

Please thank your Representative for signing the discharge petition or urge him or her to immediately sign on. And remember to ask him or her to persuade colleagues to sign the petition to bring the Fair Minimum Wage Act to the floor for a clean vote.

IWJ is a member of Let Justice Roll, a coalition to increase the minimum wage and win living wages throughout the U.S.

LJR is working with local groups to hold Living Wage Days during October. Go to their Living Wage Days site to get materials and set up your own Living Wage Days.

Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good Press Release

Catholic Leaders Question Moral Integrity of Joining Inheritance Tax Cut with Minimum Wage Increase