The Huffington Post | By Mark Gongloff
Posted: 06/16/2014 11:56 am EDT

America is treating its low-wage workers so badly that it's starting to get shamed by the rest of the world.

The International Monetary Fund on Monday cut its forecast for U.S. economic growth this year, warned of sluggish growth for years to come, and made a bunch of suggestions for getting America's economic house in order -- including raising the abysmally low federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

"Given its current low level (compared both to U.S. history and international standards), the minimum wage should be increased," the global financial-stability group wrote in its annual assessment of state of the U.S. economy. "This would help raise incomes for millions of working poor and (help) ensure a meaningful increase in after-tax earnings for the nation’s poorest households."

The IMF didn't say how much it thought the minimum wage should be, exactly. President Barack Obama has proposed an increase to $10.10 an hour. If the minimum wage had been adjusted for inflation regularly, it would be at least $10.68, according to the National Employment Law Project. Many fast-food workers would prefer $15 an hour. If wage floors had been raised to keep up with productivity, then they would be closer to $22 an hour.

The point is moot at the moment, because Republicans in Congress want nothing to do with a higher minimum wage. States and cities are starting to take matters into their own hands, led by Seattle, which recently raised its minimum wage to a highest-in-the-nation $15.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/16/imf-minimum-wage_n_5499420.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Obama pushes again for minimum wage increase

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is again encouraging Congress to pass a bill raising the minimum raise to $10.10 an hour.

In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama says increasing the pay for minimum-wage workers would help 28 million workers. He says Republican lawmakers not only don't want to increase the minimum wage, some want to get rid of it entirely.

In a dig at Republicans in Congress, Obama says they have taken more than 50 votes against his health care law but resist one vote on the minimum wage bill.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014788915

Obama signs order to raise minimum wage for federal contractors...disabled workers included

President Obama signed an executive order into action on Wednesday afternoon to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers by 2015.

The declaration mandates all federally contracted employees earn at least $10.10 per hour – up from the current $7.25 – beginning next year on Jan. 1. It is unclear exactly how many individuals will be affected, but the increase could potentially involve hundreds of thousands of workers and Americans with disabilities. The payment hike won’t influence current contractors, though.

“I’m eager to work with Congress whenever I can find opportunity to expand opportunities to American families. But whenever I can act alone without Congress to use my pen to take executive action…that’s what I’m going to do,” Obama said during a press conference at the White House.

The president’s signature came one year after he first asked legislators to raise the federal minimum wage. While leaders in Washington took time to decide on their actions, six states passed individual laws increasing payment.

http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/its-official-obama-signs-min-wage-order

NCD Hails Inclusion of Workers with Disabilities in Minimum Wage Executive Order

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024489594