USCCB - (SDWP) - Mississippi's Low Wage Workers Deserve A Raise

Since the federal minimum wage was last increased in 1996-97, employment in Mississippi is up and unemployment is down.
In fact, Mississippi has experienced great economic growth. Since September 1996, 67,400 new jobs have been created -- an increase of 6.2%.
And while retail is often cited as the industry hit hardest by any increase in the minimum wage, 17,800 new retail jobs have been added in Mississippi--making the growth in retail faster than the rate for all other industries.
Additionally, unemployment has dropped in Mississippi since the federal minimum wage was increased. It is now 5.6%.
With economic strengths of this proportion, surely Mississippi's lowest paid workers deserve a raise.
Under our proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to $6.15 by the year 2001, over 146,000 Mississippians 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.
Mississippi'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 Mississippians the raise they deserve.