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Massachusett's Low Wage Workers Deserve A Raise
- Since the federal minimum wage was last increased in 1996-97, employment in Massachusetts is up and unemployment is down.
- In fact, Massachusetts has experienced great economic growth. Since September 1996, 225,200 new jobs have been created -- an increase of 7.4%.
- And while retail is often cited as the industry hit hardest by any increase in the minimum wage, 35,400 new retail jobs have been added in Massachusetts.
- Additionally, unemployment has dropped in Massachusetts by 24% since the federal minimum wage was increased. It is now 3.1% -- lower than the federal rate.
- Massachusetts' success illustrates that raising the minimum wage does not hurt the economy or cost jobs.
- Our proposal is a modest one and would make the value of the minimum wage just 7’ more than what it was in 1982 -- not even going as far as the recent Massachusetts' state minimum wage increase.
- With Massachusetts as a model, it's time to set aside outdated arguments against increasing the minimum wage. The time has come for Congress to act now to raise the federal minimum wage.
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