Protesters call for minimum wage hike

Protesters call for minimum wage hike

3

Fabiola Newman

One cannot support a family in New York earning $5.15 an hour, said Sen. Eric Schneiderman, with Working Families Party and community activists who are fighting to raise the minimum wage by $1.60 an hour.

The protest was held outside the doors of a McDonalds on the corner of Broadway and Dyckman, since this local place is paying its workers $5.15 an hour. But in states like Connecticut, where they have changed legislation, McDonalds pay $6.75 an hour, said community activist Ydanis Rodriguez.

Actually the legislation to raise the minimum wage to $6.75 an hour is waiting for the approval of the State Senate, since it was approved by the Assembly and, unanimously, by the Senate Labor Committee.

If approved, the quality of life would improve for the 700,000 families in New York State who live below the poverty line, according to the Working Families Party. In the meantime, activists are holding public demonstrations and collecting 50,000 signatures to show the authorities that New Yorkers agree.

One of the principal arguments is that 74 percent of the those who earn the minimum wage are adults. They must work overtime or find a second job to survive, which takes away from the family, said Olga Sanchez, a domestic worker.

I am a single mother of three young boys. To pay my bills, I work 12 hours and I do not have time to share with my boys, Sanchez said.

2002-05-20

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Protesters call for minimum wage hike

Telesh Lopez

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2002-05-20