A minimum wage increase could be introduced in Pennsylvania under new plans proposed by Democrats in the state.
On Monday, Democratic State Senator Christine Tartaglione announced her plans to introduce a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $20 an hour. The change would begin from July 1, 2024 and cost of living-adjusted increases would follow every five years.
U.S. government analysis in 2023 found that there were an estimated 67,800 Pennsylvania workers earning minimum wage or less.
Pennsylvania has not updated its minimum wage since 2006, and it currently stands at $7.25 per hour—the federal minimum—which Sen. Tartaglione describes as "the very definition of a poverty-level wage."
Her announcement also noted that 30 states have a higher minimum wage than Pennsylvania, including many that have a lower cost of living.
Speaking at a rally in Harrisburg on Monday, Democratic State Senator Roni Green also voiced support for the measure, saying: "No more can we say minimum wage, because we don't do minimum work. The days of minimum wage are gone. We need a living wage."
In February, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his support for a rise, noting that the state was lagging compared with its neighbors New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and New York.
"It's anti-competitive and it's hurting our workers," Shapiro said. "Pennsylvania workers living in border counties would rather drive into another state for work so they can earn a higher wage than take a job at home."
An increase to Pennsylvania's minimum wage was proposed in 2023. While it was passed in the House, the legislation did not advance in the GOP-controlled Senate, where Republican Majority Leader Joe Pittman said that $15 an hour was "not a practical number." Such opposition will likely remain the biggest obstacle to Sen. Tartaglione's latest attempt.
Public support for the wage increase is likely to be strong. In a poll of some 1,000 Pennsylvanians conducted by the Keystone Research Center in 2022, 73% supported putting the minimum wage on a path to $15 per hour over four years and 77% supported having a yearly cost of living increase thereafter.
The minimum wage has been high on the political agenda across the U.S. in light of the cost of living crisis, with 22 states increasing their minimum wages on January 1, 2024, raising pay for nearly 10 million workers.
With the introduction of a $20 minimum hourly wage for fast-food workers this month, and $15.50 for many other workers, California has cemented itself among the states with the highest minimum wages.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
fairness meter
To Rate This Article
About the writer
Ben Kelly is Newsweek's Audience Editor, based in London, UK. Ben joined Newsweek in 2022 from The Independent and has worked ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
