By Juliana Kaplan
Business Insider, Jan 26, 2021
"This is not a radical idea," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on Tuesday. "This is what the American people want." ... Sanders was speaking on a press call with other Democrats from both congress and the senate who introduced the Raise the Wage Act, which would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025.
The call also included Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the House Education and Labor Committee Chairman, who said the act would raise wages for 32 million workers, around half of whom are essential workers. He was joined by Sanders as well as Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). ...
The representatives were joined by Fran Marion, a McDonald's worker and labor activist, and Mike Draper, the owner of Raygun and a member of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage.
Marion emphasized the impact that a wage increase could have for her family, while Draper spoke to how raising his wages has helped with staff retention. ...