Children's Alliance backs $1.50 increase in U.S. minimum wage

"Raise New Hampshire's minimum wage" is one of two Economic Security priorities in the 2004 Children's Agenda.

May 10, 2004

It has been almost seven years since the last increase in the federal minimum wage, the second longest period since its introduction in 1938. During those seven years, inflation has robbed the minimum wage ($5.15, the same as NH's) of 90 percent of its value. Americans working full time should not have to live in poverty, yet that is exactly what individuals and families who earn the minimum wage are faced with every day.

A group of US senators have been working for nine months to force a vote on a minimum wage increase. Bills introduced in both the House and Senate would increase the minimum wage by more than $1.50 over two years. The House bill, HR 4256, was introduced by Rep. George Miller of California and was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce. The Senate bill, S 2370, was introduced by Sen. Ted Kennedy and was placed on the calendar. (Search for text of either bill by bill number at http://thomas.loc.gov/)

The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2004 would increase the wage from its current level of $5.15 an hour to $5.85 an hour two months after enactment, to $6.45 an hour one year later, and to $7 an hour one year after that.

An attempt to increase New Hampshire's minimum wage this session failed by one vote. Here is a chance to raise the minimum wage for New Hampshire's low-wage workers.

The Children's Alliance of NH urges advocates to call our U.S. Senators and Congressmen and ask them to support an increase in the minimum wage by backing the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2004.

More information on the federal minimum wage is available from the Coalition on Human Needs online at http://www.chn.org/pdf/IBminwage.pdf or the Center for Policy Alternatives' 2004 Policy Tool Kit on the Minimum Wage online at http://www.stateaction.org/2004agenda/34.pdf.

How a minimum wage increase would affect NH children and families.

Act now! Send an e-mail to U.S. Senators and Congressmen.