Sign the petition: Close the racial wage gap, raise the federal minimum wage.
2021 saw an influx of workers all over the U.S. rising up for better working conditions and benefits. In what some have called “the great resignation” workers are quitting jobs at an all-time high, and a study found that low-wage, frontline employees are more likely to want to leave.
Despite this, another year has passed without the rise of the federal minimum wage - which has stayed at $7.25 since 2009. With the rising costs of living, the minimum wage is far from what most would consider a living wage, and research has shown that workers need a minimum of $15 to cover the cost of living expenses.
Moreover, COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities that Black, Hispanic, and Native American workers face as a result of their disproportionate employment in the low-wage sector of the labor market, despite these jobs being deemed “essential” and employees receiving pay that is less than a living wage.
Raising the minimum wage is essential to achieving racial economic equality and closing the racial wage gap.
In 1966 Congress raised the minimum wage, which led to a significant drop in earnings inequality between Black and white Americans. In succeeding years it led to more than 20% of the overall reduction in wage inequality from 1967-1980. Today, Black workers make on average 78 cents for every dollar earned by white workers, a ratio that has not changed since 1980.
Raising the minimum wage is a remarkable tool for racial justice - and necessary for essential workers fighting the frontlines of this pandemic. If keeping up with the economy, the federal minimum wage would be $24 an hour today - but is now worth 21% less than it was in 2009.
It has been 13 years since Congress passed legislation to raise the wage floor. For our economic recovery and our most vulnerable members of the workforce, we cannot slip into another year without Congress taking action to raise the federal minimum wage.
Sign the petition: Close the racial wage gap, raise the federal minimum wage.
Despite this, another year has passed without the rise of the federal minimum wage - which has stayed at $7.25 since 2009. With the rising costs of living, the minimum wage is far from what most would consider a living wage, and research has shown that workers need a minimum of $15 to cover the cost of living expenses.
Moreover, COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities that Black, Hispanic, and Native American workers face as a result of their disproportionate employment in the low-wage sector of the labor market, despite these jobs being deemed “essential” and employees receiving pay that is less than a living wage.
Raising the minimum wage is essential to achieving racial economic equality and closing the racial wage gap.
In 1966 Congress raised the minimum wage, which led to a significant drop in earnings inequality between Black and white Americans. In succeeding years it led to more than 20% of the overall reduction in wage inequality from 1967-1980. Today, Black workers make on average 78 cents for every dollar earned by white workers, a ratio that has not changed since 1980.
Raising the minimum wage is a remarkable tool for racial justice - and necessary for essential workers fighting the frontlines of this pandemic. If keeping up with the economy, the federal minimum wage would be $24 an hour today - but is now worth 21% less than it was in 2009.
It has been 13 years since Congress passed legislation to raise the wage floor. For our economic recovery and our most vulnerable members of the workforce, we cannot slip into another year without Congress taking action to raise the federal minimum wage.
Sign the petition: Close the racial wage gap, raise the federal minimum wage.
