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Antwort in : /alt/activism/d Absender : tsteege@uuscdc.org (Ted Steege) Betreff : Minimum wage Datum : Sa 20.06.98, 19:26 (erhalten: 22.06.98) Groesse : 4956 Bytes ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite last year's increase, the minimum wage still falls far short of providing a family-sustaining income. Fifteen faith groups, including UUSC and the UUA, joined together this week in sending a letter to every member of the U.S. Senate, urging senators to co-sponsor and vote for legislation increasing the minimum wage to at least $6.15 by January 2000.
Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) told a gathering of advocates this afternoon that he intends to bring up his minimum wage bill at every opportunity after the Patients' Bill of Rights issue is dealt with -- probably some time in July. Letters to senators are still needed to put together a solid coalition of Democrats and moderate Republican votes needed for passage.
The text of the sign-on letter follows. Please feel free to use it as a model for your own letters. If you need further background information or talking points, e-mail Kim McDonald at <kmcdonald@uusc.org> and she can send you a two-page fax on the subject.
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June 18, 1998
Dear Senator:
As faith-based organizations concerned about the growing difficulty experienced by low-wage workers in trying to support themselves and their families, we urge you to co-sponsor and vote for legislation increasing the minimum wage to at least $6.15 by January 2000.
Despite the increase which took effect in 1997, the federal minimum wage still falls far short of a livable wage for all but the most minimal needs of a single individual. A breadwinner working full-time all year earns only $10,712 -- which would force a family of three with only one paycheck to make ends meet on income $2,600 below the poverty line.
Such low wages in the richest country on earth are an affront to human dignity and to the basic sense of justice reflected in the Biblical tradition that “the laborer deserves to be paid” (Deuteronomy 25:4, Luke 10:7, 1 Timothy 5:18).
Experience shows that carefully staged increases in the minimum wage have benefited millions of workers with no net job loss. Three-fourths of the 12 million workers earning minimum wage are adults age 20 and over, and 60 per cent of them are women. Forty per cent of those earning the minimum wage are the only wage earner in the household. If we expect families to sustain themselves primarily by work rather than by a social safety net, then we must establish wages and benefits for working people that will achieve that goal. Raising the minimum wage by itself will not accomplish that goal, but it is a necessary step. To do less is to encourage those who would “sell . . . the needy for a pair of sandals” and “trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth” (Amos 2:6-7).
With the gap between rich and poor growing despite the booming economy, now is a good time to move the minimum wage another step toward adequacy. We hope you will consider supporting at the first opportunity the proposal to raise the minimum wage by 50 cents in January 1999 and another 50 cents in January 2000, as in the bills introduced by Sen. Ted Kennedy (S. 1805) and Rep. David Bonior (H.R. 3510).
Although this legislation will bring the minimum wage only to the purchasing power it had in 1981, it represents the kind of just and prudent step forward that can help millions of people without great economic risk. Polls by responsible news media and opinion research firms in recent months show that from 65 to 80 per cent of the American people agree that it is the right thing to do. We urge you to add your strong support to this important measure.
Sincerely,
American Ethical Union, Washington Ethical Action Office Bread for the World Church Women United Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers) Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs Mennonite Central Committee, Washington Office National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. National Low Income Housing Coalition National Ministries, American Baptist Churches, USA NETWORK, a Catholic Social Justice Lobby Union of American Hebrew Congregations Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations Unitarian Universalist Service Committee United Church of Christ, Office for Church in Society United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
For further information, please contact:
Ted Steege, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee 202-466-7400 (fax 202-775-2636), tsteege@uuscdc.org ;
or
Kay Bengston, chair, Domestic Human Need/Justice for Women and Families Working Group c/o Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs 202-783-7507 (fax 202-783-7502), Kay_Bengston@ecunet.org .
Ted Steege, Washington Associate for U.S. Programs Unitarian Universalist Service Committee 2000 P St.,NW, Suite 505 - Washington, DC 20036 202/466-7400 fax 202/775-2636 email: tsteege@uuscdc.org
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Last Modified: July 1998