Tag Archives: working families

Overtime vs. Comp Time: US House Pushes To Take Away Overtime Pay

  By New Hampshire Labor News | May 11, 2013 - 8:52 am | , , ,
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Congresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL)
Congresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL)

Congresswoman Martha Roby (R-AL)

This week the US House passed legislation to strike down advances made by unions and workers for decades.  Through collective bargaining workers have made significant advances in the areas of time off and overtime pay. The US House, led by their Tea Party Speaker John Boehner, want to take that away.

On Wednesday May 8th, the US House passed HR 1406. The aptly named ‘Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013‘ or aka the ‘Work More for Less Pay Act’.  The bill would effectively allow employers to pay workers in compensatory time off in lieu of overtime.  The proponents of the bill say this would allow workers the ability to bank time gained by working overtime to be used at a later date.

Rep Martha Roby (R-AL) introduced the bill by stating:

“Talk to just about any working mom and dad and they’ll tell you they need more time. They need just one more hour in the day to be able to take care of responsibilities and make life work. We can’t legislate another hour in the day, but we can help working Americans better balance their time by removing unnecessary federal restrictions on comp time in the private sector.”

I would beg to differ on this.  One of the reasons that people do not have enough time in the day is because their level of productivity is continually to being pushed higher and higher.  Now with the invention of smartphones workers are spending more and more of their ‘free time’ to answer phone calls and emails.   CBS News in Chicago highlighted a case in court right now that would force employers to pay workers for time spent answering emails and phone calls after hours. However that is a completely different story.

HR 1406 is said to give freedom to the worker, in reality it saves the employer money by not having to pay out mandatory time and a half overtime rates.  The bill also does not guarantee the employee the right to take time off when they actually need it.

A senior economist for the Center for Economic and Policy Research writes, “Its major effect would be to hamstring workers — likely increasing overtime hours for those who don’t want them and cutting pay for those who do.” (TNDP.ORG)

NH Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) opposes this legislation in part due to the  lack of language allowing the employee to use the time for personal appointments.

“Giving up overtime pay is a big deal for workers, and in return they aren’t even guaranteed they’ll get to use their comp time when they really need it,” Shea-Porter said.  “This is not flexibility for workers. It’s less pay for workers. I urge Speaker Boehner to bring bills to the floor that actually help middle class families by creating jobs and ending sequestration.”

In fact, Congresswoman Shea-Porter offered an amendment to HR 1406, that was crushed by the GOP, that would  not allow employers to deny workers from using ‘comp time’ to attend:

  • Attend a medical appointment
  • Care for a sick child or family member
  • For veterans, to attend counseling or rehabilitation appointments for injuries suffered in combat.

On the floor of the House Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) said “this is one of the saddest days this House of Representatives has ever seen“.

Working families are struggling to pay their bills. Too many are living paycheck to paycheck, and now they want to steal more money out of their paychecks.  For some people overtime pay is what is keeping their heads above water, and this would push millions of working families into a deeper hole.

I applaud all the Representatives who opposed this legislation in the House.  These Reps are the ones who are standing up for struggling working families.  These Reps truly understand the harm that legislation like this would have on all working families.  I hope that the Senate will send this bill to where it truly belongs, the trash.

The NH AFL-CIO Holds Bi-Annual Convention

  By Matt Murray | May 7, 2013 - 11:34 am | , , ,
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AFLCIO Convention Mark MacKenzie

On May 4th, the New Hampshire state federation of the AFL-CIO held their bi-annual convention at the Grand Hotel in North Conway, NH.  The event was attended by over 50 delegates, representing many different unions from around the state.  They were teachers from AFT, to film and sound techs from IATSE,  electricians from IBEW, to air traffic controllers from NATCA.  The focus of the convention was to talk about the great things that the NH AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions have done in New Hampshire over the last two years. And to talk about how we need to change and grow to move into a new generation of unions and organizing.

Over the past two years the NH AFL-CIO and organized labor have fought back against the extreme right wing of the New Hampshire Legislature who were pushing every anti-union and anti-worker bill they could dig up from ALEC.  Most notably was the nearly two year battle over Right To Work.  Upholding Governor Lynch’s veto was the single greatest legislative accomplishment for the NH AFL-CIO and all working families.

AFLCIO Convention Mark MacKenzieAfter a short trip down memory lane by NH AFL-CIO President Mark MacKenzie, the tone shifted.  ”At no time has labor’s role been more important” said President MacKenzie.

Now we as organized labor need to work with our communities for real immigration reform.  We must ensure that every worker is treated fairly, is paid accordingly, and has the protections we fought so hard to get in place.

This theme also lead right into how do we begin to organize those places that have never been able to be organized before?  Places like Wal-Mart, Fast Food and Restaurant workers. These are the jobs that need help from organized labor the most right now.

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler spent  most of her time talking about how we need to fight back against the attacks from the right wing extremists and expand our base.  This is a battle for all working people, not just those who are covered by a union contract.  We need to do everything we can to stop the austerity budget plans from Washington that are slowly pulling our country apart.  The Tea Party lead House is trying to continue this race to the bottom with more cuts to programs like Head Start and Meals on Wheels.  ”What about the children who have been kicked out of Head Start due to the Sequester” said Shuler.  ”Sequester is just a fancy word for stupid idea” Shuler continued.

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter knows all to well how the sequester is effecting people.  She hears about it every day.  People calling her office to get her to do something about it.  ”Can’t you just pass something to end the sequester” people would ask.  Yes, she told the crowd, if we could get our bills onto the floor of the US House.  Congresswoman Shea-Porter told the crowd, “there are three political parties in Washington right now.  The Democrats, the Republicans and the Republican study group also know as the Tea Party.”  The power of the Tea Party and their leader, Speaker John Boehner is what is creating this disfunction in Washington.

The NH AFL-CIO also welcomed State Senator Andrew Hosmer to speak. He talked of the current situation in the NH Senate.  He pushed for the passage of the expanded gambling bill to help create new jobs for the NH Building Trades.   That message was echoed by State Representative (and former AFGE member and Federal Marshal) Steve Shurtleff.  Rep Shurtleff reminded us how times have changed now that Speaker O’Brien is not in control.  He ws there every session waiting for the Speaker to pull Right To Work up for a vote.  Both Sen. Hosmer and Rep Shurtleff said they would do whatever was needed to stand up for working families and the workers rights to organize.

(More in-depth stories on each of the speeches at the NH AFLCIO convention later this week)

The New Hampshire Unions Come Together To Support Immigration Reform

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 25, 2013 - 2:00 pm | , , ,
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mayday_final_social

mayday_final_socialOver the last week the NH Labor News has posted a variety of articles on immigration reform.  Topics have ranged from the need to ensure that all workers are treated fairly and paid honestly to raids from Immigrations Customs Enforcement.

Immigration reform has been a politic football for decades.  The GOP has gone back and forth on the issue of immigration reform.  First they wanted to build a wall to keep people out, then they wanted people to self deport.  Now after the presidential election the GOP is trying to welcome latino voters by pushing for immigration reform.  What ever their reasoning, I am happy to support their efforts for real immigration reform.  The time is now.

On May 1, the New Hampshire AFL-CIO, the State Employees Association (SEIU 1984) and community activists will come together to rally for common sense immigration reform.  We need to help build a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants and their families.

Join us May 1st at 12:00-1:00pm on the State House Plaza in Concord. 

There will be speakers from labor organizations, as well as faith leaders, Dream Act students, and others representing the immigrant and refugee communities.

Together we can make immigration reform a reality. We must work together to provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants fighting to become American citizens.

NH Congresswomen Stand Up For Equal Pay And Paycheck Fairness

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 9, 2013 - 11:53 am | , ,
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money lock

From Congresswoman Annie Kuster

Today marked Equal Pay Day by emphasizing that more work remains when it comes to closing the wage gap between men and women – including passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. Equal Pay Day marks the date when women’s wages finally equal what men were paid during the previous year.

“As we mark Equal Pay Day, we face the alarming reality that women still earn just 77 cents for every dollar earned by men,” Kuster said. “As a nation, we can and must do better than this. Ensuring that men and women receive equal pay for equal work isn’t just a matter of fairness – it’s an economic imperative.”

“Especially in these tough economic times, smaller paychecks for women make it harder for families to purchase health care, send their kids to college, and save for retirement,” Kuster continued. “That doesn’t just hurt women – it hurts families, communities, and our entire economy. That’s why it’s so critical that Congress pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a common sense bill which will help ensure that our nation rewards the hard work and contributions of all Americans – regardless of gender.”Kuster is a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would increase the effectiveness of remedies available to victims of pay discrimination on the basis of gender.


____________________________

From Congresswoman Carol Shea Porter

As women across New Hampshire look at their paychecks, bank accounts, and family finances today, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter calls on Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and to continue working to close the wage gap that exists between women and men.

“Equal pay is not simply a woman’s issue – it’s a family issue,” Shea-Porter said. “New Hampshire families rely on women’s wages to make ends meet, and when women are paid less than men for the same work, that affects their ability to pay their bills.”

According to a new report from the American Association of University Women, women in New Hampshire earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Shea-Porter is a strong advocate for issues that are important to women and families. She was an original cosponsor of H.R.11, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which became law on Jan. 29, 2009, and she is an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would amend the Equal Pay Act to close loopholes that prevent women from fighting for equal pay.

“I am proud the Lilly Ledbetter Act has been enacted, but we need to do more,” Shea-Porter said.  “The Paycheck Fairness Act is equally important.”

The Paycheck Fairness Act passed the House in 2008 and 2009, but Senate Republicans blocked the measure. Similarly, in 2012, Republicans in both the House and Senate voted to block the bill.

“In America, hard work should pay off. Congress can strengthen American families and ensure workplace fairness by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. There is no reason to delay this common sense legislation.” Shea-Porter said.

 

Nashua: Activists Rally For Immigration Reform (From Arnie Alpert)

  By Arnie Alpert | April 6, 2013 - 6:12 pm |
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Immigration rally Nashua 4-6-13 (credit Arnie Alpert)

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“The Time is Now”nashua 4-6-13 012 crop

More than a hundred immigrants rights supporters rallied today at Nashua City Hall  and marched to the offices of Senators Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen to call for reforms centered on a clear and direct path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the USA. 

Rally speakers included Eva Castillo of the NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees; the Rev. Tom Woodward of the Granite State Organizing Project; Juan Zamudio, a student at Derryfield School in Manchester; Marisol Saavedra, a Nashua student; and Carols Escobar of SEIU  nashua 4-6-13 040cropLocal 615.

“In many years of working across the US, I saw time and time again bosses use the broken immigration system to mistreat, intimidate, underpay and over work undocumented workers,” said Escobar, an Ecuadoran immigrant who works as a janitor in Nashua. 

“When employers pay lower wages to some workers, all workers are affected and standards are lowered for everyone,” the Local 615 member added.

Participants included union members, faith community leaders, and otnashua 4-6-13 014cropher social justice activists adding their bodies and voices to the movement calling on Congress to act now for humane immigration policies. 

Following the brief rally, the crowd marched north into Nashua’s downtown shopping district and crossed over to the east side of the road by the office of Senator Kelly Ayotte.  There, they taped a giant letter to the window, where marchers added their signatures to a statement calling for commonsense immigration reform that fosters unity.

nashua 4-6-13 031“The time for action is long overdue and there is bipartisan agreement on moving forward,” the statement said.  “A reform package that includes a path to citizenship makes economic sense and is true to our ideals as a nation.  Taking action now makes sense politically, as well, since the American public supports immigration reform.”

Marchers continued northward to Senator Shaheen’s office where another letter was taped to the window for signatures. 

The program concluded with a statement from Germano Martins, a member of the State Employees Association (SEIU Local 1984) followed by a prayer led by the Rev. Sandra Pontoh of the Maranatha Indonesian United Church of Christ. nashua 4-6-13 109

The organizing committee included SEIU Locals 615 and 1984, the NH AFL-CIO, NH Civil Liberties Union, Lutheran Social Services, the Granite State Organizing Project, the NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees, the United Church of Christ Immigration Working Group, and the American Friends Service Committee.

Another rally will take place at State House Plaza in Concord at noon on Wednesday, May 1.

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All images credit to Arnie Alpert and Inzane Times.

Reposted with permission from InZane Times (Original Link)

Minimum Wage Earners Would Need To Work Over 100 Hours A Week To Pay The Rent. Anyone Else See The Problem Here?

  By Matt Murray | March 24, 2013 - 10:59 am |
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Unit Housing Minimum Wage

Lately between the state and national battles on raising the minimum wage, people everywhere are talking about the potential impacts of the change.

The people on the right, want you to believe that raising the minimum wage will cost jobs.  This is completely untrue.  In fact according to a recent study done by the Center for Economic and Policy Research they found that “The weight of that evidence points to little or no employment response to modest increases in the minimum wage.”   This does not mean that a few smaller companies would not have to make some staffing adjustments if the wage was increased.  The truth is that most of these companies are already paying employees above minimum wage. In fact over 66% of minimum wage earners work for major corporations (I.E Wal-Mart and McDonalds) not small businesses.

The other common myth that the Republicans are trying to spread is that minimum wage earners are just teenagers working their first job.  Contrary to what they are saying only 13% of minimum wage earners nationally are teenagers.  Here in New Hampshire that number is a little higher at 22%. That is a far cry from a majority of workers, that is not even a quarter of worker.  They are adults, struggling every day to survive.  In fact over  “more than a third (35.8 percent) are married, and over a quarter (28.0 percent) are parents“.  What kind of family life could you possibly have if your being forced to work 100 hours a week to survive?

For everyone, housing is the biggest concern.  Some people must choose to pay the rent before they pay for food.  This is wrong.  To “Live within your means” your housing costs should not exceed 30% of you total income.  This allows you to pay for rent, and any other housing costs without having to sacrifice in other areas, like dinner.

For many low income families this 30% number is just unattainable. In fact according to fair market value of rent (FMR), a person would have to earn $18.79 per hour to afford a two bedroom apartment.  In the federal minimum wage is $7.25 then a worker would have to work over 100 hours a week to pay the rent.  This is an outrage.  Here in New Hampshire, the FMR of a two bedroom apartment is $20.47. That is 113 hours a week at minimum wage.   While the New Hampshire is debating an increase to around $10 an hour, would this really help?  In NH a minimum wage worker would still be required to work 81 hours to afford an apartment.

http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/2013_OOR_Most_Expensive_Jurisdictions_Table.pdfNew Hampshire is far from the worst when it comes to rental prices.  Hawaii comes in at a whopping $32.14 per hour.  The minimum wage in Hawaii is set to the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.  That mean a worker would have to work 177 hours a week to afford a two bedroom apartment. Remember there are only 168 hours in a week.  As you can clearly see below, there is not a single state where a minimum wage earner could live without working 80 hours a week.

Unit Housing Minimum Wage

We must not let partisan politics and party rhetoric get in the way of doing what is best for the millions of workers struggling every day to pay their rent. We can do better, we should do better.  Congress should raise the minimum wage and chain it to inflation so it will continue to rise automatically. Then  state can determine if they need to add to the federal minimum to adjust for local costs of living.

Middle Class Rally To Cancel The Cuts (March 21th)

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 14, 2013 - 11:00 am | , ,
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march 20 rally flierPNG

DATE CHANGED TO MARCH 21′s DUE TO WEATHER!!!!

The bullies in Congress are holding the economy hostage with across-the-board budget cuts that will cost 750,000 jobs this year.

They are using these budget cuts as “leverage” to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits—with the collateral damage hurting seniors, students, working families and the U.S. economy—and to protect loopholes for Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans. This didn’t have to happen. CONGRESS HAD A CHOICE!

NH AFL-CIO and Maine AFL-CIO are partnering for this public action to draw attention to the impact of sequestration cuts on thousands of middle-class jobs at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the inevitable economic ripple effect on the Seacoast community.

MIDDLE CLASS RALLY to CANCEL the CUTS

MARCH 21, 2013 @ 12:00 noon – 1:00 pm
Prescott Park – entrance on corner of Marcy & State Streets
Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Please join us in Portsmouth on March 20
Use this link to sign up!

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Congresswoman Annie Kuster Pushes Locally For A Fix To Forced Budget Cuts

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 11, 2013 - 3:08 pm | , ,
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Annie Kuster at NE Council

Annie Kuster at NE CouncilEmphasizing the need for common sense and compromise in Washington, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) today called on Republicans and Democrats to work together to find bipartisan solutions to our nation’s fiscal challenges during a speech at a New England Council Congressional Roundtable breakfast with local business leaders.

“Here’s my bottom line. Yes, Republicans and Democrats have real differences. Yes, we will disagree on some issues,” Kuster said. “But let’s work together on the things we do agree on. Let’s do our part to restore peoples’ faith that Congress can still do the right thing. Let’s start solving problems instead of creating new ones.

During her remarks, Kuster praised her fellow freshmen colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their early efforts to find common ground, noting that meaningfully addressing our fiscal challenges will require both parties to compromise.

“None of us expects to agree on everything,” Kuster said. “We’re not naïve. We’re not blind to our differences. But we’re also not willing to let the things we disagree on prevent us from making progress on the things we do agree on.”

“We want to be part of a new era in Congress where bipartisan solutions are the rule, not the exception…No more my way or the highway demands. No more lurching from crisis to crisis. No more demonizing people you disagree with. Just a laser-like focus on working together to solve problems.”

In February, Kuster helped establish the United Solutions Caucus, a new bipartisan coalition of Republican and Democratic freshmen Representatives focused on resolving our nation’s fiscal challenges in a common sense, bipartisan way. In a letter to President Obama and House leadership last month, the group outlined a framework for addressing our fiscal challenges that’s focused on streamlining government, simplifying the tax code, generating new revenue, and cutting spending – while protecting Social Security and Medicare.

Rep Shea-Porter Working In Washington To Stop Sequester

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 10, 2013 - 3:00 pm | , ,
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Carol Shea-Porter_Official.2010-300x288

Carol Shea-Porter_Official.2010-300x288One week after sequestration began creating reckless and irresponsible cuts to our economy, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter worked to protect New Hampshire’s middle class from its most harmful effects. From meeting with Granite State veterans to cosponsoring legislation that would replace sequestration with a balanced approach, Congresswoman Shea-Porter is committed to working towards saving the hundreds of thousands of jobs and vital services set to be lost due to this reckless policy.

“Instead of imposing indiscriminate cuts on the Department of Defense and other programs vital to middle class security, we should replace sequestration with a balanced approach that increases revenue, decreases spending, and creates jobs,” said Shea-Porter. “I am hopeful that we can compromise to avert these self-inflicted wounds from Washington, but I refuse to accept any plan that fails the test of balance by leaving corporate tax loopholes open and closing the pathway to the middle class.”

See below for details from the week.

·         Cosponsorship of H.R. 699, the Stop the Sequester Job Loss Now Act

Congresswoman Shea-Porter cosponsored the Stop the Sequester Job Loss Now Act, which eliminates sequestration for calendar year 2013 entirely while reducing the deficit by more than the amount of the scheduled across-the-board spending cuts. It makes specific policy choices that reduce the deficit in a balanced way, with a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases. The bill also calls for a balanced solution to stop the full multi-year sequester.

·         Statement to the House Budget Committee about the impact of sequestration on New Hampshire

Congresswoman Shea-Porter issued a statement to the House Budget Committee about the effects of sequestration on New Hampshire, specifically highlighting the importance of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to the region’s economy and the country’s national defense. She encouraged the committee to replace sequestration’s arbitrary cuts with a balanced plan that responsibly cuts spending and removes unnecessary tax breaks for special interests, saying, “In order to keep our national defense strong, I ask you to restore the budget of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to the funding level that existed prior to implementation of the defense sequester.”

·         Voting Against the Continuing Resolution that, according to the National Journal, “embraced sequestration”

Congresswoman Shea-Porter voted against a Continuing Resolution that reinforces the mindless cuts that will hurt hiring and incomes, slow the recovery, and keep deficits larger than otherwise.

·         Meeting with the New Hampshire Veterans

Congresswoman Shea-Porter met with New Hampshire veterans to talk about the sequester’s impact on our national security. Although the Department of Veterans Affairs is exempt from sequestration, the Department of Labor’s Veterans Transition Assistance Program, which serves over 150,000 veterans a year, would have to reduce operations – leaving thousands of transitioning veterans unserved as they move from active duty to civilian life.

·         Meeting with Major General William N. Reddel III, The Adjutant General, New Hampshire

Congresswoman Shea-Porter spoke with General Reddel about her commitment to averting sequestration.

·         Cosponsorship of H.R. 900, the Cancel the Sequester Act of 2013

The set of across-the-board cuts passed into law by the previous Congress – of which Shea-Porter was not a member – was purposely designed to be a bad idea and was never intended to become law.  It was supposed to be so unthinkable as to force a compromise – but it failed.  With Congress unable to craft a bipartisan agreement that takes the sequester off the table, Washington has a duty to avert these catastrophic cuts by any means necessary. That is why Congresswoman Shea-Porter cosponsored the “Cancel the Sequester Act,” a one-sentence bill that would repeal the section of the Budget Control Act of 2011 that created the sequester.

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. economy created 246,000 private sector jobs in February and unemployment dropped to 7.7%. This is welcome news and continues to build on 36 consecutive months of private sector job growth. But in order to continue this momentum and avoid the 750,000 American jobs set to be lost this year due to sequestration, Congress must do their job and replace these haphazard cuts with a balanced approach that reduces spending and increases revenue.

The NH Debate Over Minimum Wage Rages On: Both Sides Go Head To Head On ‘The Exchange’

  By Matt Murray | February 28, 2013 - 3:20 pm | ,
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NH jobs

Tuesday on the Exchange, Laura Knoy spoke with Dave Juvet (New Hampshire Business and Industry Association) and Jeff McLynch (NH Fiscal Policy Institute). They went back and forth weighing the pros and cons of raising the minimum wage.

Jeff McLynch started off by stating that minimum wage workers in New Hampshire are far behind what it would take to actually survive.

“The living wage for a single worker is  $9.68 per hour.  For a married couple is about $15 per hour. If someone is a single parent trying to raise a child it is $21 per hour.”

“NH is the only state with a minium wage at the federal level”

Jeff McLynch also explained that a minimum wage is not a ‘living wage’.  The living wage is what local people would need to be able to afford housing, food, and other items in their area.  The living wage is a more local and precise number than the national poverty wage that does not take into account local cost of living.

NH jobs

After hearing all of these things from Jeff, now we get to hear from the lobbyist who is pushing against a wage increase.  Dave Juvet wants people to believe that because New Hampshire has the lowest minimum wage in New England this put them “ahead of all of those other states.”  He continues by saying the vast majority of jobs in NH do not pay the minimum wage, and he is right.  They actually pay less than the minimum wage because they are tipped employees.

After trying to get people to believe that there are very few people working on minimum wage, he pushed another common business lobbying fallacy that “minimum wage workers are teenagers and retired people looking to pick up extra income.”  This is an out right lie.  In fact research from the Economic Policy Institute, shows that nearly 80% of people working on minimum wage in New Hampshire are older than 20 years of age.  The EPI continues by saying that “more than a third (35.8 percent) are married, and over a quarter (28.0 percent) are parents.”

The best line of all was when Laura Knoy asked “Is the argument Dave, against a minimum wage no matter what, or is the argument $7.25 is good lets not raise it?”

Dave Juvet’s response, “Some would argue the government should not be in the business of setting wages for the private sector…” In my opinion that is his way of saying no we do not need or want a minimum wage.  Yeah lets go back to the slave wages that we have before the minimum wage was introduced, that worked out great for everyone.

In closing I want to talk about one more point that Dave Juvey tried to hammer in.  He said that raising the minimum wage would hurt small businesses and would cause people to loose their jobs.   This is simply not true.  In fact, over 66% of minimum wage workers are employed by companies that have over 100 employees.  The biggest abusers of minimum wage workers 1. Walmart 2. Yum Foods (Taco Bell,  KFC) 3. McDonalds.

We also know that state and federal governments are supplementing these low wages with food and housing assistance programs while the corporate giants are raking in hundreds of millions of dollars.

So if raising the minium wage would help thousands of Granite Staters to earn a living wage while reducing their dependance on government assistance programs, WHY HAVE WE NOT PASSED THIS YET?

 

Listen to the entire episode