don't these puttheads know that a raise in minwage, is ALSO a raise to UNION wages that are based on a multiple of the MINWAGE??? or do they...
Posted on 07/12/2006 2:50:42 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Democrats gained some traction in their election-year campaign to raise the minimum wage Wednesday when 64 Republicans joined in a symbolic vote supporting more money for the nation's lowest-paid workers.
The House voted 260-159 to urge House-Senate negotiators to include a minimum wage boost, from the current $5.15 an hour to $7.25, in jobs covered by a job training bill under discussion. Sixty-four Republicans, many moderates from northern and northeastern states, joined Democrats in backing the non-binding resolution.
The author of the provision, Rep. George Miller (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., said that while the vote was symbolic, it "proves that if given the opportunity, a majority of House members would support increasing the minimum wage."
Democrats have made GOP resistance to raising the minimum wage a key issue as they try to define differences before the November elections.
The Republican leadership, and their allies in the business community, say raising the minimum wage, which has held at $5.15 since 1997, would discourage small businesses from hiring young and low-skilled people for entry-level jobs.
But Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., at a news conference Wednesday, said it was "appalling" that lawmakers were poised to give themselves a $3,300 raise this year "yet continue to ignore the most vulnerable workers in our society."
He said that since the last minimum wage increase congressional pay has gone up more than $31,000, to $165,200, and executive pay is up 73 percent.
Kennedy and other Democrats support legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour in three steps over the next two years. He said it would directly benefit 6.6 million workers.
Wednesday's House vote followed a vote in the House Appropriations Committee last month where seven Republicans joined Democrats in backing the attachment of a minimum wage increase to a 2007 spending bill covering health, education and labor programs.
Of the 11 annual spending bills, the health and education bill is the only one the House has yet to complete this year, partly because of the question of how to handle to minimum wage issue.
___
Denver or Fort Lauderdale? That's the choice some potential Democratic presidential candidates face later this month.
The Democratic Leadership Council holds its national conversation July 22-26 in Denver and among the likely speakers are Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.
Across the country, Florida Democrats hold their Jefferson-Jackson weekend and three White House hopefuls plan to participate — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, retired Gen. Wesley Clark and Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.
It's Dodd's first such trip as a prospective candidate.
___
Associated Press Writer Andrew Miga contributed to this report.
A few months ago here in E MO the union thugs, er, visitors from Michigan were casing the strip malls with local folk to get petition signers to put it on the ballot. I knew they were from MI because they were very bold in wearing their jackets announcing so.
I signed because I want to get a chance to vote no. Most businesses pay more than minimum anyway except in rural entry level or service industries.
Except many hourly workers have their pay built around minimum wage. So all of them would also get raises. Figure probably over half of all hourly workers are effected by minimum wage, even if their hourly rate is nowhere near.
I meant raise it to $6, not by $6...I worded that awkwardly.
But many of them have their salary built around minimum wage. If the step chart says your job should pay 6 times minimum wage and the minimum wage goes up $2 you just added over 20 grand to your salary.
Cashiers I know of work for slightly more than minimum wage, around 6-7 dollars an hour.
Consider that these pols are voting on the issue for fun. They voting on it because the "folks back home" want them to vote for it.
Actually burger flippers are making $8 / hr in FL.
don't these puttheads know that a raise in minwage, is ALSO a raise to UNION wages that are based on a multiple of the MINWAGE??? or do they...
Union contracts are pegged to the Minimum Wage, that's why they push so hard for an increase.
The mentally handicapped who do jobs like organizing supermarket carts, loading groceries into cars, and cleaning cafeteria tables make minimum wage here.
Those jobs are less available when the minimum wage goes up. Unless, of course, the taxpayers subsidize the wages.
He said that since the last minimum wage increase congressional pay has gone up more than $31,000, to $165,200.
If Big Red Ted is so appalled, then he should give his back. Let him "invest" in the most "vulnerable" of society.
Did he write a check?
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