Senator Brownsberger submitted the following written testimony to the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development.
TO: Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
FROM: Senator William N. Brownsberger
RE: S878, An Act to improve the Commonwealth’s economy with a strong minimum wage
DATE: June 11, 2013
I am writing in support of S878, an Act to improve the Commonwealth’s economy with a strong minimum wage.
Despite a series of increases by the legislature in the 1990’s and 2000’s, the real value of the minimum wage has declined over the last several decades. This bill would result in minimum wage employees earning an extra dollar per hour for the next three years and by 2016 would tie the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index. This will prevent further decline in the real value of minimum wage, thereby supporting economic recovery in the Commonwealth.
A minimum wage increase will help Massachusetts’ workers and strengthen the overall economy; I hope the Committee will report S878 favorably.