Rally in front of the State Legislature Office
250 Broadway, Manhattan
Wednesday, March 19, 11:30 AM
For decades, working conditions have been getting worse, workers’ wages have been plunging, the middle class has been shrinking, and working people often need to work two jobs to put food on the table. The general public overwhelmingly supports an increase of the minimum wage to more than $10 an hour. Even President Obama is proposing this.
But our Governor Cuomo and elected officials such as Senator Jeff Klein, ignore the needs of the working people in New York State and do everything in their powers to
support corporate interests. Last year, Governor Cuomo colluded with Senator Klein, leader of the Independent Democratic Conference, and others to force through a law to subsidize corporations to hire teens, which will encourage employers to replace older workers with teens. Their law also increased the minimum wage this year to only $8 an hour and excludes tipped employees, of whom 72% are woman. Furthermore, they put no resources towards enforcement of the law to ensure this minimum-wage increase. Their law causes even more income and wealth disparity among New Yorkers.
We ask State Senator Klein and Governor Cuomo to do the right thing:
- Repeal the corporate subsidy
- Increase the minimum wage to at least $10 an hour for all workers, including tipped employees
- Stop discriminating against women workers and older workers
- Enforce the labor law—take a stand against wage theft
Let’s demand that Klein and Cuomo get it right this year. Come with your co-workers, friends and family to say: Workers need a REAL minimum-wage increase!