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Florida's Low Wage Workers Deserve A Raise
- Since the federal minimum wage was last increased in 1996-97, employment in Florida is up and unemployment is down.
- In fact, Florida has experienced great economic growth. Since September 1996, 823,600 new jobs have been created -- an increase of 13.2%.
- And while retail is often cited as the industry hit hardest by any increase in the minimum wage, 95,800 new retail jobs have been added in Florida.
- Additionally, unemployment has dropped in Florida by 26% since the federal minimum wage was increased. It is now 3.7% -- lower than the federal rate.
- With economic strengths of this proportion, surely Florida's low wage workers deserve a raise.
- Under our proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to $6.15 by the year 2001, over 597,000 Floridians would get a raise.
- Our proposal is a modest one and would make the value of the minimum wage just 7’ more than what it was in 1982.
- Florida's economy is strong and its low wage workers should share in this success. The time has come for Congress to act now and give thousands of Floridians a raise they deserve.
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