WASHINGTON - July 26 - Ten years after the last congressional vote to increase the federal minimum wage, working families and community activists gathered outside the office of Rep. Shaw to protest his refusal to vote for an increase in the $5.15 minimum wage. The group also demanded that Congress give working families a raise by increasing the minimum wage to $7.25.

Surrounded by workers and low-wage community activists in front of Rep. Shaw’s district office, Pat Emmert, President of the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO said: “Rep. Shaw’s choice to deny a fair day’s pay for fair day’s work hurts the living standards of all working families in America. It’s criminal that workers have to fight tooth and nail for something so basic.” Also present were members of the Palm Coast Building and Construction Trades Council.

The event was one of 20 such actions being held in July to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the last vote increasing the national minimum wage. The event is part of AFL-CIO’s “America Needs a Raise” campaign that has also led efforts in 19 states to increase the minimum wage through state legislation or ballot initiatives this year.

Congress last voted to raise the minimum wage in the summer of 1996, with the first step of an increase in 1996 and the second in 1997. Since then, the real value of the minimum wage has dropped to its lowest level in 51 years, devastating America’s lowest income families and depressed living standards for many more. Meanwhile, members of Congress have received eight pay raises for themselves, while shamelessly blocking attempts to raise the federal minimum wage for America’s lowest paid workers. Rep. Shaw has consistently voted to oppose a minimum wage increase.

Among those at the event was ACORN member Marvis Daniels, who had a message for Rep. Shaw: “It’s not moral to ignore our empty pockets while lining yours!” Like many minimum wage workers today, Daniels struggles everyday to make ends meet.

The AFL-CIO’s “America Needs a Raise” campaign is currently driving ballot initiatives in six states: Missouri, Ohio, Arizona, Montana, Colorado and Nevada, and has pushed minimum wage legislation this year in 13 others.

For more information on the AFL-CIO’s “America Needs a Raise”, please visit www.aflcio.org.

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