The minimum wage hike, in three stages over two years and two months, was in the $124 billion Iraq and Afghanistan military spending bill Bush rejected. He bounced the bill because it included a timetable, crafted by the Democratic-run Congress, for withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq.
The federal minimum wage hike, to $7.25 an hour from the present $5.15, was accompanied by $4.8 billion in "small business" tax breaks. Bush demanded even more than that as his price for the minimum wage increase.
"Republicans for 112 days have held hostage a minimum wage increase. While minimum wage workers have not had a pay raise since 1997, Congress gave itself nine pay hikes, totally more than $36,000," the AFL-CIO noted in its news blog, http://blog.aflcio.org
Meanwhile, on May 3, New Hampshire became at least the 33rd state to raise its own minimum wage without waiting for the feds to do so.
"Many of our families are working hard just to get by. They are struggling to pay for gas, rent, childcare and groceries. The cost of all these things has increased significantly in the last 10 years, but New Hampshire\'s minimum wage has not," the state\'s Democratic Governor, John Lynch, said.
The Granite State\'s minimum wage will rise from $5.15 hourly now to $6.50 on Sept. 1 and $7.25 an hour the year after that. It last rose in 1997, the same year the federal minimum rose.
Minnesota raised its minimum wage two years ago and is considering another increase during this legislative session.
The article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.
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The minimum wage hike, in three stages over two years and two months, was in the $124 billion Iraq and Afghanistan military spending bill Bush rejected. He bounced the bill because it included a timetable, crafted by the Democratic-run Congress, for withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq.
The federal minimum wage hike, to $7.25 an hour from the present $5.15, was accompanied by $4.8 billion in "small business" tax breaks. Bush demanded even more than that as his price for the minimum wage increase.
"Republicans for 112 days have held hostage a minimum wage increase. While minimum wage workers have not had a pay raise since 1997, Congress gave itself nine pay hikes, totally more than $36,000," the AFL-CIO noted in its news blog, http://blog.aflcio.org
Meanwhile, on May 3, New Hampshire became at least the 33rd state to raise its own minimum wage without waiting for the feds to do so.
"Many of our families are working hard just to get by. They are struggling to pay for gas, rent, childcare and groceries. The cost of all these things has increased significantly in the last 10 years, but New Hampshire\’s minimum wage has not," the state\’s Democratic Governor, John Lynch, said.
The Granite State\’s minimum wage will rise from $5.15 hourly now to $6.50 on Sept. 1 and $7.25 an hour the year after that. It last rose in 1997, the same year the federal minimum rose.
Minnesota raised its minimum wage two years ago and is considering another increase during this legislative session.
The article was written by Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.