House Women Applaud the People of Maine and Flagstaff on Passing One Fair Minimum Wage, Call For Federal Action

Press Release

Today, ten women members of the House of Representatives congratulated the people of Maine and Flagstaff, Arizona for supporting initiatives that eliminate the lower wage for tipped workers. The federal tipped wage today is $2.13 an hour, a level that has not changed since 1991. According to a recent study by Washington Center for Equitable Growth, tipped workers who rely on customer tips not only earn less but are twice as likely to experience sexual harassment as workers in states that have eliminated the subminimum wage. Maine now joins 7 other states -- Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington -- in requiring one fair minimum wage.

Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Alma Adams (NC-12), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Judy Chu (CA-27), Katherine Clark (MA-5), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Marcia Fudge (OH-11), Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) released the following statement:

"As women, we know that yesterday's victories in Maine and Flagstaff, Arizona are critically important to improving women's economic well-being. Seventy percent of tipped workers nationwide are women, 1 in 3 of whom has children and two-third of whom are over 25 years old. Women deserve fair pay and the certainty that they do not have to put up with sexual harassment in order to provide for their families.

As cosponsors of the Raise the Wage Act, which would eliminate the federal tipped subminimum wage, we are committed to making this a priority in the 115th Congress. We should build on the momentum created by yesterday's actions. In order to achieve gender equality and equal pay, we cannot leave tipped workers out of efforts to raise the minimum wage. It is time that we end the federal tipped wage and enact one fair minimum wage across the nation."

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