$10.10 minimum wage would help Ohio

Increasing the federal minimum wage would reduce inequality, keep workers out of poverty, reward work, create jobs and help our economy.

Federal bill would bring jobs, money to Ohio

Increasing the federal minimum wage would reduce inequality, keep workers out of poverty, reward work and help our economy.[1]

The minimum wage is worth much less than in the past after inflation is considered. This contributes to growing income inequality and makes it harder to stay out of poverty, even with full-time work.

A new proposal introduced by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. George Miller would increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 by the year 2014 in three steps (to $8.20 initially, to $9.15 in 2014 and to $10.10 in 2015), and make inflation adjustments after 2015. House Resolution 1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, would raise annual income for a full-time employee to a still-modest $21,000 from just $16,014 now in Ohio ($15,080 nationally). The bill would also raise pay for tipped workers for the first time since 1991, to $3.00 per hour initially from $2.13, and then by $.85 annually until it reaches 70 percent of the standard minimum wage. 

If the minimum wage had kept up with inflation since the high point in 1968, it would be $10.59 an hour today. If it had kept up with productivity it would be even higher, almost $18.75.

An increase to $10.10 would affect more than 30 million Americans, nearly one-quarter of the national workforce. Ohio workers are more likely to be affected than workers nationwide: only four states have more affected workers than Ohio. Twenty percent of Ohio’s workforce