Rockefller Pushes for Minimum Wage Increase that Would Affect 133,000 West Virginia Workers

ROCKEFELLER PUSHES FOR MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE THAT WOULD AFFECT 133,000 WEST VIRGINIA WORKERS

Washington, DC - Senator Jay Rockefeller today called on the Senate to pass a minimum wage increase bill that would immediately benefit 59,000 West Virginia workers who currently earn the minimum wage. The bill would affect a total of 133,000 workers in the state when fully phased-in in two years. A long-time champion for working West Virginians, Senator Rockefeller underscored the significant impact an increase would have.

"Raising the minimum wage would have an enormous effect in West Virginia," said Rockefeller. "For many of these workers, who are the primary breadwinners in their families, this would truly mean a better quality of life."

Senator Rockefeller attended a committee hearing yesterday that reviewed the impact of increasing the minimum wage, and possible tax benefits to help offset any adverse effects on small businesses.

"Raising the minimum wage is terribly important - and we have to get it done," said Rockefeller. "We may also be able to provide small businesses with some assistance to offset any potential effect of the increase."

While the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has not had an increase in nearly a decade, the House voted yesterday to raise the minimum wage incrementally to $7.25 an hour over the next two years. Senator Rockefeller has voted to increase the federal minimum wage at least eight times since 1998, and he plans to vote for it again when the issue comes up for debate in the Senate.

"When the minimum wage was first enacted, the goal was to provide workers with wages on which they could live and support their families," said Rockefeller. "Families simply cannot live on the current minimum wage - and now is the time for Congress to take action on an increase that is long overdue."

http://rockefeller.senate.gov/news/2007/pr011107a.html