Tag: minimum wage

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Ikea will raise minimum wage for American workers

Ikea announced Thursday a plan to raise its average minimum wage at U.S. stores to $10.76 an hour.

All 38 American stores won’t have the same minimum wage, but will be set according to local costs of living – as low as $8.69 in Pittsburgh, while Woodbridge, VA will move up to $13.22.

From the New York Times:

The store is increasing pay because it is “investing in our co-workers,” Rob Olson, acting president for the United States and CFO, told the New York Times. “We believe they will invest in our customers, and they will invest in Ikea’s stores. We believe that it will be a win-win-win for our co-workers, our customers and our stores.”

Olson says that while the new pay structure will “be a significant investment,” it will not mean higher prices for its products.

The policy change will represent an increase of about 17 percent over the current wage.

(via ThinkProgress)

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Senate Republicans vote down raising minimum wage to keep up with inflation

Yesterday, Senate Republicans, by a vote of 54-42 (60 votes needed to avoid filibuster)  killed a bill that would have raised the minimum wage over two and a half years to $10.10.

Every Senate Republican except Bob Corker of Tennessee voted against the bill. Every Democrat (except Harry Reid in a procedural tactic allowing him to bring the bill back for another vote at a later time) voted for the bill.

The minimum wage has not kept up with inflation over the years. In 1968, the minimum wage was $1.60 – adjusted for inflation that would be $10.79 in today’s dollars.

Today’s federally mandated minimum wage is $7.25.  An employee who works 40 hours every week makes about $15,080 a year before taxes.  If you happen to be a single parent with one child, you are living under the poverty level

We constantly hear how CEO’s pay and bonuses are skyrocketing and corporations profits are hitting record highs. Why can’t those helping to create those profits share just a bit in the success? Why only CEOs and high up execs?

An individual working full-time at minimum wage lives under the poverty level in America.  Working FULL-TIME to be in poverty.

By the way – according to a recent Pew Poll, 73 percent of Americans support an increase to the minimum wage.

A recent Gallop poll put the support for an increase at 76 percent.

Word is the Democrats plan on bringing the legislation back for another vote closer to fall elections to remind the American people where the two political parties stand on the issue.

I say “good.”  

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Minnesota looks to raise minimum wage to $9.50 by 2016

MSNBC reports that state legislators in Minnesota appear to have agreed to raise the minimum wage in the state – one of the lowest in the country – to $9.50 by 2016:

In a press conference on Monday, party leaders announced a crucial—and much fought over—part of the bill: the state’s minimum wage would be indexed—tied to inflation—starting in 2018, with an annual cap of 2.5%, though the governor’s administration does have the right to stop these automatic hikes.

While lawmakers had agreed on a $9.50 wage as early as last summer, they spent months negotiating over these automatic increases.

Minnesota’s current minimum wage is among the lowest in the nation—$5.25 for smaller companies, $6.15 for larger companies, though many employees are paid the higher, federal minimum wage of $7.25. After the hike, it will be among the highest minimum wages.

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Connecticut lawmakers raise state minimum wage to $10.10

Connecticut lawmakers passed a bill today that will raise the state’s minimum wage to $10.10 by 2017.

The bill passed in the House 87-54 and in the Senate 21-14.

Gov. Malloy has supported the legislation and has said he will sign the bill into law.

This means that Connecticut will have the highest minimum wage rate in the country.

President Obama has asked Congress to raise the national minimum wage to the same figure.

(source)