Pa.'s Minimum Wage Goes Up 90 Cents

Sunday, July 1st the Pennsylvania minimum wage jumps to from $6.25 to $7.15 an hour. And advocates want to get the word out that the minimum wage worker just got a raise.

Thomas Paine Cronin, president of AFSME District Council 47 explains why it's so important to get the word out about the minimum hourly wage jump to $7.15:

"I want people to know that it goes to $7.15 an hour because I don't want to see employers cheat working people who are already making too little."

Pearl Johnson is a worker who says she needs the raise to pay for healthcare:

"There are a lot of us out here that don't have health insurance -- and we're the richest country in the world. That doesn't make sense.  On minimum wage, you don't have insurance. You can't pay your bills, you can't pay rent. You either have to make a choice of rent or food!"

Meanwhile, college student Ronada Cyrus says the raise will be a small but appreciated boost:

"It is going to make a difference not just for me, but for everybody; for a lot of Philadelphians. It'll be something better."