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

Since the federal minimum wage was last increased in 1996-97, employment in Rhode Island is up and unemployment is down.
In fact, Rhode Island has experienced great economic growth. Since September 1996, 25,400 new jobs have been created -- an increase of 5.7%.
And while retail is often cited as the industry hit hardest by any increase in the minimum wage, 7,900 retail jobs have been added in Rhode Island -- making the growth in retail faster than the rate for overall employment.
Additionally, unemployment has dropped in Rhode Island by 22% since the federal minimum wage was increased. It is now 3.8% -- lower than the federal rate.
With economic strengths of this proportion, surely Rhode Island's lowest paid workers deserve a raise.
Under our proposal to increase the federal minimum wage to $6.15 an hour by the year 2001, over 38,000 Rhode Islanders 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.
Rhode Island'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 Rhode Islanders raise they deserve.