Spring Break
Minimum wage to increase during summer
By: Madiha Rizvi
Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: News
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The minimum wage is in the process of increasing in increments, from $5.85 to $6.55 in 2008 to $7.25 in 2009. These amounts are fixed by the Fair Labors Standard Act (FLSA) to protect people from inflation.
"I believe an honest day's work deserves an honest day's pay and the minimum wage increase rewards work, not welfare," said Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas. "It had been 10 years since minimum wage workers received a pay raise, the longest time period without an increase since the minimum wage was enacted in 1938."
Edwards said rising consumer costs hit low-wage workers especially hard. The purchasing power of the minimum wage plummeted to its lowest level in more than half a century, leaving millions of families behind.
Student workers typically begin their on-campus jobs at minimum wage. Some students said they were happy about the increase, but feared it will make products expensive.
"The higher the minimum wage, the more I am getting paid," said Chris Flores, freshman general studies major. "But that means that everything is getting more expensive and you can buy less. There are positives and negatives."
He said his work gave him spending money for gas, groceries and books.
"My parents can only provide so much. So I have to work to provide for myself," Flores said. "They take care of tuition, I do everything else."
Some students said President Barack Obama's proposal to raise the wages to $9.50 by 2011 could drive the economy.
"It is great because it means more pay. If people are getting paid more, that means they are going to spend more," said Arieth Salazar, a senior psychology major "It is a huge increase with Obama. But by then [2011], the economy should be better."
On the CNN money Web site, Paul LaMonica said $9.50 would amount to a nearly 85 percent increase in the minimum wage in a span of five years. He made the summation that this would not be a favor to small businesses.
Some students at A&M agreed with LaMonica and said the higher minimum wage was going translate to higher unemployment.
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