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Dave Jamieson
Obama Moves On Minimum Wage Without Congress
Posted: 06/12/2014 2:49 pm EDT Updated: 3 hours ago
As part of the president's pledge to act with or without the cooperation of Congress, the White House and Labor Department on Thursday released the details of a new rule guaranteeing workers under federal contracts a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour.
The proposal is expected to raise the wages of hundreds of thousands of low-wage workers employed in government buildings and on federal lands throughout the country. Though still subject to a public comment period, officials said Thursday that the rule will apply to new and renewed federal contracts starting in January 2015.
"The federal government should practice what it preaches on the minimum wage," Labor Secretary Tom Perez said on a call with reporters. "No person who works a full-time job should have to live in poverty."
The president first announced he'd raise the minimum wage for contract workers during his State of the Union address earlier this year. The contract rule was part of a batch of executive orders he's issued related to the economy in recent months, vowing to act within his own powers as congressional Republicans stand in the way of the Democratic agenda.
That agenda includes an increase in the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 and hasn't been raised since 2009. Obama and Democrats in the House and Senate have proposed raising it to $10.10 per hour and tying it to an inflation index. House Republicans, however, have showed no signs of giving the proposal a vote, while Democrats in the Senate still appear short of a filibuster-proof majority on their bill.
more...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/minimum-wage-federal-contractors_n_5489027.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013
Cha
(296,771 posts)sheshe2
(83,633 posts)Keep on keeping on, eat them up!
Thanks bsis~
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)not that ten bucks an hour is a lot, but this only applies to federal workers? Great. woohoo.
Politicub
(12,165 posts)And this also covers federal contractors.
It's a step in the right direction.
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)but the rest of us are still not included. Left out again.
Politicub
(12,165 posts)Last edited Fri Jun 13, 2014, 04:29 PM - Edit history (1)
But it requires the congress to act, which is beyond dysfunctional.
I know people are hurting, and $3 per hour more would be a lot to some people. $24/day ($18 or so after taxes) makes a difference when you're trying to make ends meet.
All I can say is GOTV and turn the house blue.
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)Not even the sky is blue. lol
Politicub
(12,165 posts)But more liberal... at least you have a sky
2pooped2pop
(5,420 posts)William769
(55,142 posts)yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)puts our money where our mouth is.
Congress should be on record before November.