Cuomo Continues Campaign for Minimum Wage Increase

Following the historic announcement he made in our Union’s auditorium on February 24, Governor Cuomo announced that he will take his campaign for a minimum wage increase on the road this week. Calling it a “Fight for Fair Pay,” the Governor said it’s time New York took the progressive step of restoring respect and dignity to the state’s working poor. Cuomo has called for a hike in the minimum wage to $11.50 an hour in New York City and $10.50 an hour through the rest of the state. As we reported in Hotel

Voice last week, New York State Labor Commissioner Mario Musolino ordered an increase in the minimum wage for tipped employees to $7.50 an hour, acting on the recommendation of a three-person Wage Board that included Hotel Trades Council President Peter Ward.

The increase in the minimum wage for non-tipped workers requires approval of the New York State Legislature. It would affect approximately 600,000 workers throughout the state and it would generate $1.5 billion in extra wages in New York City alone and $3.9 billion in extra pay statewide.

“Raising the minimum wage is a simple issue,” Govenor Cuomo told hundreds of members in our auditorium last week, when he announced the drive to help New York’s working poor. “In New York State we do the right thing and we do the fair thing. We have never seen the kind of huge wage disparity in our state that we see now and its time we did something about it and showed the rest of the country that we care for all workers in our state.”

Saying that businesses—both large and small—have been enjoying a great rebound in the New York economy, he urged support for hiking the minimum wage. “We believe the sweetest success is shared success,” he said.