Working to Increase Maryland's Minimum Wage
Friday, July 29, 2011
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Far below the debt ceiling
debate, a grassroots effort to raise the wages of hundreds of thousands of area
working poor is catching fire across Maryland. Progressive Maryland’s (PM)
Raise Maryland campaign – launched in January – is drawing
support from a broad coalition of faith, community, labor – including the
Metro Washington Council -- and business partners uniting behind a call on
Maryland legislators to raise the state’s minimum wage. Increasing the minimum
wage has a “positive economic impact,” says Maryland Senator Rob Gargiola
(D-Montgomery County). “It's not just Maryland's 300,000 minimum wage workers
who will benefit,” says PM. “Everyone gains by putting more money into the
hands of those who need it most and will pay it right back into the local
economy, boosting spending and creating jobs.” Although Annapolis lawmakers
promised during this year’s session to “take a look” at the proposal to
raise Maryland’s minimum wage from the federally mandated $7.25 – about
$15,000 a year -- to $10 by 2013, the proposal did not go anywhere. With the
moribund economy wreaking havoc on working families’ budgets and Maryland
voters showing overwhelming support for increasing the state minimum wage,
Progressive Maryland is “working now to lay the groundwork to move the bill
next year,” Executive Director Rion Dennis tells Union City. Click here for details on supporting the campaign,
including signing an online petition, contacting your representative, taking the
business owner/executive pledge or making a donation to the campaign. On July
30, Progressive Maryland welcomes volunteers to join them in circulating the
Raise Maryland petition at the Carnival Grounds: 19 Crain Highway South, between
1st Avenue and Post 40 Road in Glen Burnie, MD; email to sign up.
- Saschane
Stephenson