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Op-Ed by Thomas E. Perez
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Aug 20, 2014

... Today, on the fourth stop of a five-city tour in advance of Labor Day, I'm coming to Cleveland to have a conversation with local business, labor and civic leaders at The City Club of Cleveland. ... I will also meet with a group of Clevelanders who have experienced long-term unemployment and hear about the challenges they have faced. My message in Cleveland and at other stops across the country is simple: we're all in this together. ...

If you're following the old script, you'll conclude that business almost universally opposes the minimum wage. But in fact, according to recent polling, 61 percent of small businesses want to increase it to $10.10 per hour, a raise that would benefit more than 1 million Ohio residents. Shrewd employers are paying above the minimum wage because they know it's both the right thing to do by their workers and the smart thing to do for their bottom line. They see their human capital as a precious asset, one they must invest in to stay competitive. 

Ours is an economy driven by consumer demand. When we give working people a raise, they pump it right back into the economy, spending it on goods and services in their communities. That helps more businesses grow, which creates more jobs. As a matter of fact, new research shows that states like Ohio that raised their minimum wages this year experienced greater job growth during the first half of 2014 than states that didn't. ...

Thomas E. Perez is the U. S. Secretary of Labor. 

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