By Josh Hicks
Washington Post, January 30, 2014
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez visited a locally-owned Ace Hardware in the nation’s capital on Thursday morning to push for an increase in the federal minimum wage. ...
The hardware store, located in the Mt. Vernon Square neighborhood, pays its employees at least $10 an hour. The federal minimum wage is $7.25, while the D.C. rate is $8.25.
Perez described the shop’s owner, Gina Schaefer, as a “remarkably visionary business owner,” saying she understands that “paying folks a fair wage is the essence of growing a business.” He added that higher wages help companies in the long run and put more money into the hands of workers who spend it in the local economy.
Christina Amaya, a 23-year-old manager at the store, said higher pay encourages workers to provide better customer service. “If you keep your employees happy, you end up keeping your customers happy in the same way,” she said. ...
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