Sen. Ed Markey and Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Since Congress isn't going to pass sane policy like an increased minimum wage and sick leave anytime soon, it's up to the blue states and cities to do it. Next up, we hope: Massachusetts, where a coalition has formed to get these measures on the 2014 ballot. The
lead petitioners' names will be familiar: Sen. Elizabeth Warren for the minimum wage, and Sen. Ed Markey for earned sick time.
"Hardworking men and women who are busting their tails in full-time jobs shouldn't be left in poverty," Warren said in the statement. "It’s long past time to raise the minimum wage, which will help Massachusetts’ working families and strengthen our economy."
"Providing an earned sick-time policy for all workers, in addition to raising the state’s minimum wage, will benefit Massachusetts as a whole," Markey added in the statement.
The minimum wage would be
raised to $10.50 by 2016, then tied to inflation so that workers would get smaller, regular raises rather than having to wait for the state legislature to get its act together or for advocacy groups to get it on the ballot every few years. The Massachusetts minimum wage is currently $8.00 an hour, 75 cents above the federal minimum, and hasn't been raised since 2008. It's past time now, and if the state legislature won't act, it's good to see the campaign kick off with our senators signed on.