The Fight for $15 Minimum Wage

Brut America

It began as a far-fetched political movement in 2009 — now the fight to increase the federal minimum wage is nearing a reality. Here's how we got to this point.

Transcript

00:00There is no denying a simple truth, America deserves a raise.

00:18It is not only morally just for us to raise the minimum wage,

00:23it is economically feasible and necessary.

00:27I'm here because I believe in change.

00:29We're hoping to meet our demands for $15 an hour.

00:32Prices of gas and groceries are rising up and our salary is not $8 an hour, it's unjustified.

00:38I make just $8 an hour working at McDonald's and Burger King.

01:00That ain't right.

01:02We've been homeless while I'm working two jobs and I barely get to see my daughters.

01:10Things didn't improve until I joined the fast food workers across America to stand up and

01:15build a movement for $15 and create opportunities to make our voices heard on the job by joining

01:22a union.

01:23With this vote, Seattle will become the first major city in the United States to win a $15

01:30an hour minimum wage.

01:31I am pleased to announce today that the state of New York's labor department has accepted

01:36the wage board recommendation in full and 150,000 fast food workers will see their wages

01:46rise to $15 an hour.

01:51Today we do something about that in a very significant way, to sign into law the minimum

01:56wage of $15 an hour.

02:00You should not have multiple jobs in the United States and nowhere to sleep.

02:16That's why we need Congress to take action to raise the federal minimum wage.

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