Issued July 22, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- In response to the Pay Workers a Living Wage Act, legislation aimed at raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020 introduced by Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) and Reps. Ellison (D-Minn.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today, SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement:
"In America today, too many people struggle to make ends meet, even though they work full time. Consistently low wages have not kept pace with what it takes for hardworking Americans to provide a decent life for their families, slowing down our economy and hurting our families.
"To correct this low-wage crisis for hardworking American families, our country needs a minimum wage that families can live on and people need the freedom to join together in a union and fight for the living wages they deserve.
"Raising the minimum wage to $15 would boost our economy and ensure that no one who works full-time lives in poverty. It would give working people the opportunity to provide a better life for their children and their families.
"I applaud Senator Sanders and Reps. Ellison and Grijalva's leadership on this issue. The Pay Workers a Living Wage Act shows that working men and women who are speaking out in support of the growing Fight for 15 movement are being heard. Taking their fight for living wages to the streets and on to the ballot box in 2016, working families are gaining political support for $15 and a union and proving that their fight has the real momentum needed to win a better life for all working families."