President Barack Obama touched upon several policies important to workers and the labor movement Tuesday during his last State of the Union address.
The president has done a lot to change labor law during his time in office. He has advocated for stronger unions on multiple occasions, including during his the previous State of the Union. The president made sure to touch upon several key policies important to the labor movement during his most recent address.
“Equal pay for equal work, paid leave, raising the minimum wage,” the president declared. “All these things still matter to hardworking families; they are still the right thing to do; and I will not let up until they get done.”
The national minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour. Most states have minimum wages that exceed what the federal government requires. Minimum wage advocates claim that will help the poor by allowing them to more easily afford basic necessities. The increased spending would then in turn stimulate economic activity. Skeptics note concern that such an increase will actually hurt the poor by limiting job opportunities.
Obama supports a $10.10 minimum wage, but a lot of proponents have pushed for an increase as high as $15. The union-backed Fight for $15 movement has been at the forefront of the push nationwide. Seattle was the first to pass a $15 minimum wage back in June 2014. The policy has since spread to many more cities.
Some businesses within Seattle have already reported problems because of the increase. No state has passed a $15 minimum wage, but New York, Florida and Massachusetts are all considering it.
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