SAN JOSE, Calif. - Rasheen Aldridge, a young worker from St. Louis, presented the face of America's low wage economy on June 21 at the Netroots Nation premiere of the Congressional Progressive Caucus campaign to "Raise Up America." At the Parque de los Pobladores event here, Aldridge opened by saying you "can't survive on $7.35," eliciting a call-and-response from the crowd. Rasheen was there with another worker, Darius Chambers, both supported by Reps. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Mark Pocan, D-Wis., to announce the new three-point campaign to help low-wage workers proposed by the Progressive Caucus.

Aldridge and Chambers related their experiences trying to function in major U.S. cities while receiving low pay, short hours, and a lack of respect. Aldridge works at Jimmy John's, a popular sandwich chain, in St. Louis, while Chambers works at Tim Horton's in Detroit. A horrified ripple moved through the crowd at the event when Aldridge related humiliating disciplinary actions at Jimmy John's for minor infractions, such he and another worker being required to hold up signs in the restaurant detailing their errors.

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Stories like this are becoming more common and have spurred the Congressional Progressive Caucus to push for three reforms to help prevent the outsized dominance of the one percent over low-wage workers. Rep. Ellison gave a rousing address at the Netroots event outlining the new "Raise Up America" plan:

* Raise the national minimum wage

* Make it easier for low wage workers to unionize

* Require living wages for workers hired by federal contractors.

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