Minimum Wage - Sample Letter

Dear Senator __________ or Representative ______________: Since passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which established a minimum wage and required Congressional approval for each increase, minimum wage increases have generally failed to keep pace with the rise in consumer prices. The federal minimum wage is currently at $5.15 an hour, and was last increased in 1997. A full-time minimum wage worker earns $10,712 per year, well below the federal poverty threshold of $14,824 for a family of three. Contrary to assertions that the majority of federal minimum wage earners are teenagers, almost 70% are adults. I urge you to support HR 965/S 2370 to increase the minimum wage to $7.00 over the course of 26 months. This bill will provide some relief to minimum wage earning families who work overtime to support their families while still remaining in poverty. This bill will provide an immediate patch to a problem that can only be repaired by linking the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index. This will address the ongoing need to sustain a flexible, realistic minimum wage level, reflective of changing economic conditions. The federal government has a primary responsibility for alleviating poverty and for ensuring conditions that allow families to move from poverty to economic self-sufficiency. This includes the guarantee of a minimum wage sufficient to allow families to support themselves. The promise of America, and the demand for a decent family life for all, requires prompt passage of legislation to raise the minimum wage. Sincerely, (Name) (Address) (E-mail)