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Harrisburg: Demonstrators Demand Senate Raise Minimum Wage
By Brady Russell & Todd Wolfson | 06.07.2006
On Monday, over 300 low income workers and supporters gathered in Harrisburg to demand the Senate raise the minimum wage, which has not been increased in 9 years. Minimum wage stands at $5.15 an hour, equaling $206 a week or $10,700 a year. The PA House has passed a measure raising the minimum wage, but the Senate has so far failed to act on this issue while giving themselves eight raises since the last minimum wage increase.

PUP Outside Capitol during Minimum Wage Rally

PUP Outside Capitol during Minimum Wage Rally

Minimum Wage Nationwide

According to the The Department of Labor, PA's minimum wage law is consistent with federal minimum wage. Some notable exceptions:

• Oregon Minimum Wage: $7.50

• Kansas Minimum Wage: $2.65

Living Wage Campaign

In 1994 a nationwide living wage campaign was initiated. To learn more about the campaign visit:

Acorns Living Wage Resource Center.

The Political Economy Reseach Institute

State Senator, Lisa Boscola maintains that "if the bill came up for a vote it would pass overwhelmingly in the Senate. But the leadership in Senate never let the bill come out for a vote." In fact, speakers at the rally called out the Senate as repeatedly blocking a raise in Pennsylvania's minimum wage, despite repeated, positive action on the part of the House of Representatives over the last 9 years.

The most notable event at the rally was the appearance by senior Republican Senator, Stewart Greenleaf, who promised that a bill would pass the Senate this month. Greenleaf is the first senior Senate Republican to appear at a Raise the Minimum Wage Coalition event, and one of only a few to do so over the campaigns 15 month history. Coalition members visited every Senate office and many offices of House members who voted for HB 257 on Monday. While a majority exists in the Senate to raise the minimum wage to $7.15, Senate leadership remains reluctant. Coalition members reported that the most consistent concern they heard from Senators is the impact a raise would have on small business. However members of the coalition argue that research shows that most minimum wage workers work for national chains.

The Raise the Minimum Wage coalition consists of statewide and local labor, religious and community oranizations. It is coordinated by the Philadelphia Unemployment Project.

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