Senior Day

Marking Up the Minimum Wage

BY FUNANYA IKECHUKWU

On March 10, 2021, the racial and gender gap. In the US, than $15 so families can support American Rescue Plan was 32 million workers, which is about themselves more.” passed in both the House and 21% of the US workforce, rely There may be some cons to the Senate and signed into law. on federal wages. People working raising the minimum wage to This 1.9 trillion stimulus deal during the year can increase their $15 dollars, according to cnbc. was supposed to help struggling salary by $3,300. This would allow com. Businesses, especially Americans and get the American many workers to increase their small businesses will have to economy on the right track. The income and increase their standard decrease their profits. Many small stimulus bill included an increase of living. It could also increase businesses are not making huge in unemployment benefits, a the buying power of workers and profits and paying these wages direct deposit of $1,400, as well as increase productivity of employees. could hurt their profits. Parents investments in infrastructure. Marissa Armenta (11) said that could foot the bills for higher However, in one of the bill’s first she is barely making it through child care costs, making it more drafts, there was supposed to be with receiving $13 an hour this costly. This is due to the wage for an increase in the childcare workers federal wage from $7.25 to $15. This “I think it should be higher than $15 so increasing making it hard for mother, was shot down by a families can support themselves more.” specifically single group of Democrats and Republicans. Leslie Rodriguez (12) mothers to foot the bill. Many people say Raising the that this decision minimum wage will impact many wage earners pandemic. She is a restaurant could benefit the economy and negatively. employee and she said that she many wage earners. This wage Natalia Drachenberg (12), has issues with her job. If the increase could lift people out of a Kid’s U worker said that a minimum wage was increased she poverty and it could also spell minimum wage increase would could afford to do so much more more costs for business owners. allow her to save for her education. and get a job that she likes more, This wage increase could be a She said, “A lot of workers need than the one that she is working at solution to some problems, but this money to live off of, this now. can also have some negatives. This would benefit me to help pay Leslie Rodriguez (12) said, “I could place more stress on small for college, but I’m not the only would like it to pass. The only businesses to pay more to maintain minimum wage worker, and there thing is once it passes everything their workforce. are many others who will benefit else such as gas, food, or bill prices from a higher wage.” will most likely go up defeating the According to EPI.org, raising purpose. the wage would help to close the “I think it should be higher