For Immediate Release: February 26, 2021
Contact: Sharon Goldtzvik, sharon@upriseforgood.com, 202 -500-6362; Ginna Green, 510-866-5989, ginna@upriseforgood.com
Action Center on Race and the Economy:
Democrats Must Use Every Means to Raise the Minimum Wage
NATIONWIDE – Action Center on Race and the Economy released the following statement in response to the Senate Parliamentarian ruling that a $15 minimum wage increase could not be included in an upcoming Coronavirus relief bill:
“Americans need to be paid a wage that allows us to sustain our households in ordinary times. In these extraordinary times, it’s non-negotiable. We can’t afford for Democratic leaders to be timid or bow to procedural maneuvers to obstruct this policy change. It is critical that Democrats use every means possible to make sure the $15 minimum wage increase is included in the Covid-19 relief bill. How can we consider worker’s labor essential, but not their livelihood, “ said Maurice BP-Weeks, Co-Executive Director of the Action Center on Race and the Economy.
Weeks continued “It is time for our leaders to show up for the people that elected them into office by abolishing the filibuster and immediately overruling the parliamentarian to include the minimum wage increase to $15 in the relief bill, an emergency measure that meets the historic scale and scope of this crisis.“
The courageous and tireless Fight for $15 Movement, largely led by Black and Brown organizers, has made this moment possible, winning wage increases at companies and in municipalities across the nation. We now need our elected leaders in Washington to have the fortitude and courage to fight with everything they have, as this moment demands. The Federal minimum wage is artificially low, has not kept pace with inflation and leaves millions of workers unable to make ends meet. Passing the minimum wage increase at the Federal level is just one step to provide the necessary protections and increased financial stability for workers across the country. Congress must act swiftly to reverse the economic damage and pass this necessary legislation.
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The Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) is a campaign hub for organizations working at the intersection of racial justice and corporate accountability.