The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour and it has stayed the same since 2009, making it an unlivable income in most parts of the US. In late January, Democrats introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2021, which would gradually increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 by 2025.
But the White House acquiesced to a Senate parliamentarian's ruling that a minimum wage increase to $15 an hour could not be included in the Covid-19 relief bill working through Congress. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, on whom 27M workers rely right now, promised to not give up and try again.
Vermont also Sen. Bernie Sanders stated on Friday: “If anybody thinks that we're giving up on this issue, they are sorely mistaken," and added: "If we have to vote on it time and time again, we will and we're going to succeed. The American people understand that we cannot continue to have millions of people working for starvation wages."
Traditionally, the divide in Washington has been seen between labor and its Democratic allies, and business and its Republican allies. However, according to NBCNews, this time, the minimum wage fight is now “divided into three camps, none of which neatly conform to expected ideological or business groupings: There are those who support a full $15 minimum wage, those opposed to raising the wage at all and a large group in the middle open to raising the minimum to, say, $10 an hour but not all the way to $15.”
Meanwhile, various polls have been showing that a majority of Americans support raising the minimum wage. And while others are waiting for a nationwide decision, a number of cities and states have already lifted the floors of their own wage to $15.
Seven states (Alaska, Florida, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, South Dakota, and Vermont) automatically increased their rates based on the cost of living and 14 states (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Washington) increased their rates due to previously approved legislation or ballot initiatives.
Moreover, Florida voters approved Amendment 2, raising the state minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2026. The amendment raises the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour effective September 2021, with a continuing annual increase until reaching $15.00 per hour.
Bettie Douglas, a cashier at Which Wich Superior Sandwiches in St. Louis, Missouri who makes $10 an hour, told CNN that her salary barely covers rent, bills, and food.
She commented: "I deserve a liveable wage. Anyone who works deserves to take care of their families, feed their families, pay their bills, afford the necessities of life. I'm not asking for a handout, I'm working as much as I can. $10 is just not making it, and $15 isn't going to really make it either but at least it'll help."
