.. Families .. Blast .. Shaw for Blocking .. Minimum Wage Increase

[struggle4progress]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 26, 2006
2:39 PM

CONTACT: American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations
Deborah Dion 305-213-3165, Dana Ford 202-637-5018

Working Families in West Palm Beach Blast Rep. Shaw for Blocking Federal Minimum Wage Increase

WASHINGTON - July 26 - Ten years after the last congressional vote to increase the federal minimum wage, working families and community activists gathered outside the office of Rep. Shaw to protest his refusal to vote for an increase in the $5.15 minimum wage. The group also demanded that Congress give working families a raise by increasing the minimum wage to $7.25.

Surrounded by workers and low-wage community activists in front of Rep. Shaw’s district office, Pat Emmert, President of the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO said: “Rep. Shaw’s choice to deny a fair day’s pay for fair day’s work hurts the living standards of all working families in America. It’s criminal that workers have to fight tooth and nail for something so basic.” Also present were members of the Palm Coast Building and Construction Trades Council.

The event was one of 20 such actions being held in July to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the last vote increasing the national minimum wage. The event is part of AFL-CIO’s “America Needs a Raise” campaign that has also led efforts in 19 states to increase the minimum wage through state legislation or ballot initiatives this year ...

http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0726-22.htm