WASHINGTON, D.C.—Joined by business leaders and workers, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA) today announced the introduction of legislation, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, to raise the federal minimum wage. Harkin and Miller’s proposal would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from its current $7.25—in three steps of 95 cents—then provide for automatic annual increases linked to changes in the cost of living. Harkin and Miller’s bill would also gradually raise the minimum wage for tipped workers—which currently stands at just $2.13 an hour—for the first time in more than 20 years, to 70 percent of the regular minimum wage. ...
At a news conference in Washington today, Harkin and Miller were joined by Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce; Andy Shallal, owner of several Washington-area restaurants; Amie Crawford, a Chicago fast-food worker; and Gregory Reynoso, a New York pizza delivery driver, to discuss why raising the minimum wage is good for both the economy and for working families.
“Raising the minimum wage puts dollars in the pockets of people who are by necessity most likely to spend them immediately at the grocery store, the childcare provider, the auto-repair shop and other local businesses. Raising the minimum wage boosts the economy from the bottom up, which is exactly what we need to repower our economy and create lasting jobs,” said Margot Dorfman, CEO of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce. “Many of the members of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce were once employees themselves. They know that the typical low-wage worker is an adult woman, and they know that raising the minimum wage helps women workers and business owners succeed. 17 million women will get a raise under the Harkin-Miller proposal.”
“For restaurants and other businesses to be sustainable and successful, we cannot just talk about the food we serve, but rather about how we treat and compensate the very people who are cooking our meals, serving our meals, and washing our dishes,” said Andy Shallal, owner of several Washington-area restaurants. “Our minimum wage at Busboys and Poets and Eatonville is $10.25 per hour and has been such for over a year. We hire tipped as well as non-tipped employees. If tipped employees don’t earn $10.25 after tips, we make up the difference. My restaurants are growing and thriving, and fair pay is fundamental to our success.”