Pat Barcas/staff photographer
With too many Illinois workers struggling to survive on $17,160 a year, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. Pat Quinn, Ill. labor leaders, faith leaders and low-wage workers joined the Give America a Raise bus tour, urging Congress to raise the minimum wage to $10.10.
By Pat Barcas
Staff writer
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Email Pat Barcas at pat@foxvalleylabornews.com
CHICAGO — A nationwide bus tour is hoping to turn the tide in favor of low wage workers.
The 11 state “Give America a Raise” bus tour supporting President Obama’s plan to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour stopped in Chicago March 31 — with backing from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. Pat Quinn. There is scheduled to be a Senate vote this week on the issue.
The argument is low wage fast food and retail workers are an integral part of the United States economy, and should be able to make enough money working 40 hours per week to live off of. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a living wage in Chicago is $21,790 to be able to afford housing, medical care, transportation and food. If full-time Illinois workers made $10.10 an hour, they’d earn $21,008 a year.
Illinois currently has a minimum wage of $8.25 per hour. A federal minimum wage increase to $10.10 per hour would increase the wages by $4,800 per year for nearly a half million Illinois workers — money that will typically be spent at local businesses on food, clothing, and furniture.
Pat Barcas/staff photographer
With too many Illinois workers struggling to survive on $17,160 a year, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. Pat Quinn, Ill. labor leaders, faith leaders and low-wage workers joined the Give America a Raise bus tour, urging Congress to raise the minimum wage to $10.10.
Opponents such as Sen. Mark Kirk and Republicans in Congress including Adam Kinzinger, Randy Hultgren, Rodney Davis and Peter Roskam say an increase in minimum wage will hurt small business, decrease jobs, increase prices, and block entry level jobs for those with no experience.
Durbin said companies need to step up and pay a living wage in order for them to not rely on tax subsidies.
“When these big companies don’t pay a minimum wage, taxpayers make up the difference. Food stamps, child tax credit, earned income tax credit are all given to people who are working 40 hours per week. The federal treasury and state treasury are subsidizing low wage workers,” he said.
A recent Public Policy Polling survey found that overall, 63 percent of Illinois voters support raising the minimum wage to $10 — while only 33 percent are opposed, which is troubling for Republican lawmakers opposing the increase.
“Some of the hardest working people in Illinois are working 40 hours a week and living in poverty — that is unacceptable. Raising the minimum wage will empower working families and help build an economy that works for everyone,” Said Quinn.
Leaders from large companies such as Costco, Starbucks and Stride Rite agree, supporting a raise in the minimum wage as a way to reduce employee turnover and improve worker productivity.
“Let’s face reality,” said Durbin. “In America, we say we have respect for work. We say there’s a dignity to work. This is a test. If you believe in the dignity of work, supporting $10.10 an hour is the right thing to do.”