Raise the Minimum Wage to $20/Hour: A Living Wage for All Workers

THE BRUTAL REALITY

Working 40 hours a week should mean you can afford rent, food, and basic dignity. Instead, millions of full-time workers in America live in poverty, working multiple jobs just to survive.

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

Let that sink in. $7.25.

That’s $15,080 per year before taxes. Below the poverty line. In 2025.

THE MATH DOESN’T LIE

At $7.25/hour for 40 hours/week:

• Monthly gross pay: $1,257
• After taxes: ~$1,100
• Average 1-bedroom rent: $1,700
• Groceries (bare minimum): $300
• Utilities: $150
• Transportation: $200
• Health insurance: $400
• Phone: $50

TOTAL NEEDED: $2,800
TOTAL EARNED: $1,100

How does this make sense?

It doesn’t. It’s designed to exploit workers and enrich corporations.

WHO THIS AFFECTS

30 million American workers earn less than $15/hour:

• Restaurant servers and cooks
• Retail workers
• Home health aides
• Childcare providers
• Janitors and cleaners
• Security guards
• Agricultural workers
• Warehouse workers

These aren’t “entry-level teenagers.” These are:

• 88% adults
• 56% women
• 40% have some college education
• 28% have children
• Many are breadwinners for their families

THE CORPORATE SCAM

While workers struggle, corporations thrive:

McDonald’s:

• CEO pay: $19.2 million/year
• Average worker pay: $11.50/hour
• Company profit 2023: $8.5 billion
• Could raise wages to $20/hour and still profit $7.2 billion

Walmart:

• CEO pay: $25 million/year
• Average worker pay: $14/hour
• Company profit 2023: $15 billion
• 1.6 million employees qualify for food stamps

Amazon:

• CEO pay: $213 million/year
• Warehouse worker: $16/hour
• Company profit 2023: $30 billion
• Workers skip bathroom breaks to meet quotas

They can afford to pay more. They choose not to.

OUR DEMAND: $20/HOUR MINIMUM WAGE

We’re calling for a federal minimum wage increase to $20/hour by 2026, then indexed to inflation.

At $20/hour:

• Monthly gross: $3,467
• Annual gross: $41,600
• Actually covers basic living costs
• Lifts 5 million people out of poverty
• Reduces dependence on government assistance

PHASE-IN PLAN:

• 2025: Increase to $13/hour (immediate)
• 2025 (6 months): $16/hour
• 2026: $20/hour
• After 2026: Annual adjustment for inflation

THE BENEFITS

For Workers:

• Afford rent without roommates
• Buy groceries without stress
• Pay for healthcare
• Save for emergencies
• Have dignity

For The Economy:

• $108 billion boost in consumer spending
• Creates 85,000 new jobs
• Reduces poverty by 1.3 million people
• Reduces crime by 3-5%
• Reduces strain on social services

For Businesses:

• Lower turnover (costs $3,000-$5,000 per employee)
• Increased productivity
• Better customer service
• Stronger local economy
• More loyal workforce

THE “IT WILL KILL JOBS” MYTH

This lie is told every time we raise wages. Here’s reality:

• Seattle raised to $15: Jobs INCREASED
• San Francisco raised to $16.32: Jobs INCREASED
• States with higher minimum wages: STRONGER job growth
• 600+ economists (including 7 Nobel winners) support $15-20/hour

Truth: Higher wages mean more consumer spending = more jobs

THE INFLATION LIE

“Raising wages causes inflation!”

False. Here’s proof:

• 1997-2007: Minimum wage increased 41%. Inflation: 2.8%/year
• 2007-2009: Minimum wage increased 41%. Inflation: 0.1%/year
• Australia minimum wage: $23.23/hour (USD). Big Mac costs: $4.50
• Denmark McDonald’s worker: $22/hour. Big Mac costs: $4.87

Wage increases don’t significantly impact prices. Corporate greed does.

WHAT ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES?

We hear you. Small businesses need support. Our plan includes:

• Tax credits for small businesses (under 50 employees)
• Phased implementation (3 years)
• Exemption for teens under 18 (training wage)
• Small business grants for wage adjustments
• Reduce health insurance costs for small employers

Large corporations can pay immediately. Small businesses get help.

THE DIGNITY ARGUMENT

This isn’t just economics—it’s about human dignity.

If you work 40 hours a week, you should afford:

• Housing
• Food
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• Basic dignity

That’s not radical. That’s basic human decency.

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON

America is BEHIND:

• Australia: $23.23/hour
• Luxembourg: $23.16/hour
• New Zealand: $19.80/hour
• Netherlands: $19.55/hour
• Belgium: $19.06/hour
• Germany: $18.83/hour
• UK: $18.29/hour
• Canada: $17.98/hour

These countries didn’t collapse. They thrived.

THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

If minimum wage kept pace with:

• Productivity: Would be $26/hour today
• Cost of living: Would be $21/hour today
• CEO pay: Would be $33/hour today
• 1968 buying power: Would be $25/hour today

$20/hour isn’t generous. It’s catching up.

WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST

Powerful lobbies oppose this:

• National Restaurant Association
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• National Federation of Independent Business
• Corporate billionaires

They spend millions fighting wage increases. We have people power.

HOW WE WIN

This petition goes to:

• President of the United States
• Secretary of Labor
• All 535 members of Congress
• Every state governor
• 50 largest employers in America

At 200,000 signatures:

• Capitol Hill rally
• Meeting with Congressional leaders
• Wage Justice March in every state
• Corporate accountability campaign

YOUR SIGNATURE = YOUR VOICE

Every signature tells politicians: We’re watching. We’re voting. We demand change.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If corporations can afford:

• $1 trillion in stock buybacks (2023)
• Record CEO bonuses
• Political lobbying
• Tax avoidance schemes

They can afford $20/hour.

OUR DEMANDS:
✓ Raise federal minimum wage to $20/hour
✓ Index to inflation automatically
✓ Support small businesses with tax credits
✓ Eliminate sub-minimum wages (tipped workers, disabled workers)
✓ Enforce wage theft laws
✓ Strengthen workers’ rights to organize

A rising tide lifts all boats. But only if the tide actually rises.

Sign now. Share widely. Demand dignity.

LivingWage #20DollarsNow #WorkersRights #EconomicJustice