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"More and more states are raising their minimum wage in the US In New York, fast food workers are now paid $ 15 an hour as of January 1. Amazon also does it at the national level. What is happening in the heart of capitalism? "Asks the German magazine Der Spiegel.
In November 2012, hundreds of McDonald's fast food workers, KFC and Burger King in New York went on strike and their claim was treated with suspicion: a minimum wage of $ 15 at the hour ; Unimaginable, at that time, the legal minimum wage in the city that never sleeps was less than $ 7.25 an hour,
Six years later, the goal of the "Fight for $ 15 hour" movement was achieved: as of January 1, the city's fast food chains will pay at least $ 15.00 per hour to their employees.
New York is not the only place where this happens: 19 states and 21 cities have increased the minimum hourly wage. In America, there is now a colorful patchwork of rules. Thus, Alabama businessmen continue to pay only $ 7.25, while it costs $ 12 in South Dakota and $ 9.10 in Washington State. In Seattle, where Amazon and Starbucks live, the legal minimum hourly wage is $ 15 or $ 16.
Local Referendums
The revolution began with the "Fight for 15 $" movement with a skilful campaign combining militant action and intense political pressure. Behind this, however, is the SEIU union, which has managed to impose an hourly wage increase by local referendum in recent years. "Prior to 2010, the referendum initiative was primarily a right-wing tool to impose conservative problems, but suddenly the left woke up," said Haydney Guy, co-chair of the Referendum Union, Washington Post.
"And it has turned out that even in the heart of capitalism, many citizens want to have the state's protective hand," Der Spiegel writes. In twelve states, voters have voted in favor of raising the minimum wage in recent years. For example, they even managed in Arkansas and Missouri, where Republican Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election.
The state of Arkansas will raise hourly rates to $ 11 in 2021 – the highest minimum rate of all states, if the purchasing power is taken into account relative to average earnings ( Arkansas is actually one of the poorest US states.).
On the other hand, $ 15 in New York, it sounds a lot, but according to the Wall Street Journal, an employee must earn at least $ 16.14 at the time to be able to live in the Manhattan area. In Washington, the cost of living is also 17.11 dollars an hour, against 10.38 dollars in Arkansas.
Amazon already has 15 dollars
In the United States, economists are wondering whether and at what level the increase in minimum wages will hurt or benefit the economy and the workers themselves.
Amazon, the online giant, announced last week a minimum hourly wage of $ 15 per hour for its American workers, which was also confirmed by employees of Greek descent in RES-MPA. The Target discount chain will follow until 2020, while the largest Wal-Mart retailer is still lagging behind with an initial salary of $ 11 / hour. "Wal-Mart employees are tired of working with poverty wages, I tell the Walton Walton family that they have to do the right thing and pay the workers a wage that allows them to live." said Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.
But also Nancy Pelosi, the new speaker of the House and Democratic leader in Congress, promised in 2017 to pbad a bill during the first 100 days of her presidency to raise the US minimum wage from 7.25 USD to 15 USD of the hour. .
Source of the ICU-RES
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