Heath

You should know where your member of Congress stands on raising the minimum wage. Contact your U.S. representative’s office today and ask whether he or she will fight to raise the minimum wage.

The Republican leadership in the House has refused to allow a vote on a bill (H.R. 2429) that would increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years. So working family advocates have signed a “discharge petition” that will force a vote on the bill—if a majority of representatives signs it.

We need 218 signatures on the discharge petition. We have 188.

Find out whether your member of Congress has publicly declared his or her support for a minimum wage increase by signing the discharge petition.

An increase in the minimum wage would immediately help millions of working families struggling to make ends meet, including many of the 37 million Americans living in poverty. A full-time worker earning the minimum wage earns just $10,700 per year—below the poverty line even for a family of three. The wage hasn’t been increased from $5.15 per hour since 1997, and its buying power drops every day.

Since the wage was last increased, Congress has voted itself $31,600 in raises. Find out today whether your member of Congress has signed the discharge petition to bring the minimum wage increase to the House floor for a vote:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/minwage_dp

Thank you for everything you do.

In solidarity,

Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO

Deafness

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on AllDeaf.com

Mookie

That would assist alot to Illegal Immigrants, too..

Heath

No and there would be a decrease in the hiring of illegal aliens.

pek1

I signed it! If Congress can afford to pay itself a raise (which, by the way, is unconstitutional), they should do this.

GalaxyAngel

Heath.. are you whining about wages?

__________________

Parent's proud our children.

diehardbiker

Cut that crap! These high paying unions employees need to quit whining about their income!!! THAT is where the problem is! We need to compete the global market, and these union workers are ACTUALLY hurting us all! Why we need to have UAW making 75 dollars an hour at these big three and having majority of people making alot less and expecting them to pay at real high price tag for new cars??? at unions!

Isn't it time to kill AFL-CIO???

Heath

This petition is for nationwide then the plan is to increase the minimum wage again to $10.50 after 2 years at $7.25 so those who work at minimum wage jobs will see more money in their working paychecks so that actually is good news.

Endymion

Yep. An increase in minimum wage will make employers employ more people for less than minimum wage. Who are the people we (illegally) pay dirt cheap wages? Illegal immigrants.

Heath

No because when the payraise is increased then the IRS in coordination with the INS will investigate the paperwork of the employer to make sure everything is in order and there will be a surprise visit to the place of business to ensure there are no more illegal aliens working at the place of business.

Endymion

Heath, I understand what you're trying to say. But what I'm saying is that the demand for labor by companies who hire will drop because the price went up. Instead, more companies will be tempted to break the law.

That's what happens when you put big taxes or raise the price on things. They get expensive so people find other ways to get them, sometimes illegally. That's why we have the black market.

But I want to let you know I generally support the AFL-CIO as far as fair living standards go. We learned a lot from the early 1900s when American workers were treated very unfairly.

Tousi

On the other hand, Endy, the price haven risen that high (if it does) might generate interest from more Americans to take heretofore "ishy" jobs than has been the case with the current level of pay.

Endymion

Tousi, a good point!

scottw

I done to sign it. I agree with it. They need more 7.25. I remember last time about 6.00 per hours. I think.

Reba

Sorry, I'm not signing the petition.

Fo'Shizzle

not signing it.......

__________________

pek1

She believes no one should get paid anything while the rich buggers get richer and allowed to complain about high prices.

farmerjoe

Raising the minimum wage is BAD. So people earning minimum wage get more money per hour.. where do you think that money will come from?! If a business has workers that are paid minimum wage and suddenly have to pay them more they have two options either make more money or have fewer workers.

So prices go up because businesses need more money to pay the higher wages, before you know it that higher wage is worthless because things cost more. that's called inflation.

The distribution of wealth is bad in this country, rich people get richer and poor people get poorer, but raising the minimum wage will not fix that.

DeafSCUBA98

i won't sign it!

reason i won't is because..

pay raise = higher inflantion rate means... the hamburger prices will be higher.. the beef price will be higher.. the mcdonalds prices will be higher.. the gas prices will be higher. the water prices will be higher.

any jobs that pays min wage.. the price will be higher.. such as mc donalds, restruants, mall (stores). many to list!

so its not a good idea!

__________________


Nucleus Freedom 04/18/05
activiated 05/16/05

sequoias

Minimum wages varies state to state. Many states aren't at federal minimum. Washington state minimum wage is $7.63 per hour as of this year. They raise the minimum every year since they passed the vote in 2001. So far I haven't heard any complaints about that. The cost of living isn't much difference compared to other places. Food and milk is still cheap here. We have the highest minimum wage in the US, so far I know.

Mookie

Dont forget to add Wal-Mart...

guido

For those opposed to such a raise in minimum wage, I'd really like to see your answer when you are attempting to make a living, while working for $5.15 an hour for 40 hours a week. You would be making $824 before taxes. Once you fiigure taxes, you'd be taking home probably between $600 and $700. Do you really think it is possible to live off that little of an amount? The minimum wage has not been raised in over 10 years, yet the cost of living has significantly increased. With rising enery and gas prices, inflation, etc, I don't think expecting people to make due on such little money is necessarily fair. This has nothing to do with whether you agree with labor unions or not. This has to do with the hundreds of thousands of workers forced to live in poverty.

SJCSue

You are so right! Have you realized that the CEO's of big companies(such as WalMart) are getting richer when the workers are getting poorer? It is not fair!

guido

I think Wal-Mart is the perfect example of unjust treatment. The Waltons are the richest family in the world. Each one of them are worth $40 billion a piece, yet the average Wal-Mart employee is $1000 below the poverty line.

You can learn more about the injustices of Wal-Mart here.

SJCSue

It's unbelievable! You can also go to http://www.wakeupwalmart.com

Reba

That should be a motivation to strive for advancement! I think the goal of becoming CEO is a much better goal than getting a higher minimum wage. Who wants to stay at the bottom rung of the ladder?

Heath

With that in mind, How do I go to college to become a CEO ? Because then the workers would get much better working wages and I can still go on vacation in Europe ? I am not that greedy like some of these CEO's are. I could set the greedy CEO's a very good example for them to live by.

Mookie

You really don't need a college degree in order to become CEO.

Just apply at Walmart and you will climb up all the way...

Reba

That should be motivation to get a better job, or get a promotion. Minimum wages are for minimum kinds of work. Why should someone who hasn't even graduated from high school, and serves fast food, or stocks a shelf, get the same pay as someone with a college degree and ten years experience in a skilled profession? Minimum wage jobs are intended to be "starter" jobs, or part-time work. They are not intended to be 30-year full-time careers.

Reba

Go for it!

Heath

That would take over 20 years in an environment like Walmart which is very hostile towards American workers. No Thanks. I'll go to college to become a Corporate Executive Officer.