PHILADELPHIA, PA − March 7, 2016 – State Senator Art Haywood released the following statement today after Governor Wolf signed an executive order raising the minimum wage to $10.15 an hour indexed to inflation for state employees and state contractors:
“Thank you, Governor Wolf, for using your power to raise the minimum wage for state government employees and contractors through an executive order. This action ensures state employees and contractors no longer receive poverty paychecks for their hard work. $10.15 an hour indexed to inflation is a vast improvement over $7.25 an hour. Pennsylvanians can’t survive on $7.25, whether they work for the government or outside of it. Unfortunately, employees who do not work for our government remain stuck with poverty pay because a few Republican senators refuse to vote on this issue.
With our state’s minimum wage at $7.25, we have hardworking single mothers with children who are choosing between food and eviction. We have thousands of seniors stuck in low-pay jobs facing the same choice. They are stuck with wages that deny their dignity.
A majority of the Senate agrees that we must raise the minimum wage. We are blocked by a few members of Republican leadership that are getting in the way of a raise for over one million hardworking Pennsylvanians. It is time that they free the pay we deserve and allow Pennsylvanians their dignity. Today I call on all citizens to contact their legislators to demand a vote to raise the minimum wage.”
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Contact: Melissa Ostroff
mostroff@pasenate.com
215-242-8171