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Tell House to Raise and Index Minimum Wage
It's Time for a Raise in Massachusetts
Six years is too long for Massachusetts workers making minimum wage to go without a raise. Tell your state representative to support a real minimum wage increase that's indexed to inflation. You'll also get updates from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Raise and Index Minimum Wage
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
Before your session ends, I respectfully urge you to take all actions necessary to pass H.B. 3782, a minimum wage bill that would increase the Massachusetts minimum wage to $8.25 per hour over the course of two years, and would index the minimum wage to inflation thereafter.
This issue is important to me and to the all the working families in Massachusetts because minimum wage workers deserve a fair and decent wage. Currently, minimum wage workers earn less today, in real terms, than they did in 1968. These workers deserve a more equitable wage!
You can help all of the Massachusetts minimum wage workers by supporting H.B. 3782, the minimum wage bill, and by asking your colleagues to support this bill.
The State Senate has already taken action. Now we need the House of Representatives to support low wage workers!
Thank you for your time and commitment on this matter.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 06, 2006
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It's been six years since Massachusetts workers making the minimum wage had a raise. We can't wait for Congress to take action. We have to take action here in Massachusetts to make sure our workers get a fair deal.
Fortunately, the State Senate passed a bill to increase the minimum wage by $1.50 over two years and to index future raises to inflation. That is the bill minimum wage workers need. Right now, there's a bill in the State House of Representatives that would raise the state minimum wage by one dollar. That's a start, but it is not up to the standards set by the State Senate. The House bill would also leave the wage stagnant, so that it becomes worth less and less as the cost of living goes up.
Write your state representative today and tell him or her to support the State Senate version of the bill, raising it by $1.50 over two years and indexing the minimum wage so that working families don't see the value of their earnings drop.
Time is running out. The legislative session is almost over, so the time to act is now. The bill they're debating now, H.B. 4781, includes two 50-cent raises to the minimum wage. But Massachusetts' working families deserve better. Massachusetts’ workers deserve the State Senate version. We need the House to support H.B. 3782.
Take this opportunity to contact your state representative and tell him or her to support H.B. 3782 that would change the raises to 75 cents each and indexes the minimum wage to inflation.
A minimum wage indexed to inflation won't lose value over time. That means workers in Massachusetts making the minimum wage - and thousands of other working families who will be helped by a raise - won't have to see their real income drop year after year.
Take action today - before the legislative session ends. Tell your state representative to support a real minimum wage raise that's indexed to inflation.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/raiseandindexmw
Thank you for all you do.
In solidarity,
Robert J. Haynes
President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO
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