Golden Votes to Give Workers a Raise

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) helped pass historic legislation that would gradually increase paychecks for thousands of workers across the state. The legislation is projected to raise the wages of more than a third of workers in Maine's Second District, grow the economy, and help working families get ahead. The measure will also level the field for Maine businesses as they currently compete against businesses with lower state minimum wages.

"There's something wrong when, even as our economy is strong and business is good, many folks work hard at a full-time job and still struggle to pay their bills," said Congressman Golden. "Many workers are effectively making less than they did decades ago because wages have not kept up with inflation and the rising cost of living. I'm proud to join my colleagues to raise wages for working people. Maine took a similar common-sense step years ago and it's past time Congress took action to help workers across the country as well."

The Raise the Wage Act would gradually increase the federal minimum hourly wage from $7.50 to $15 by the year 2025. After 2025, the bill would index the minimum wage to the national median wage.

"Our state's minimum wage will likely rise to $15 an hour in roughly the next decade," continued Golden. "The Raise the Wage Act ensures businesses in the rest of the country have to pay their workers at least as much as businesses in our state, helping Maine businesses compete on a national level well into the future."

The Raise the Wage Act will help Maine businesses compete with their competitors in other states. Absent the new legislation, businesses in other states, particularly New Hampshire, would be at a serious competitive advantage to Maine businesses because the out-of-state businesses can pay their workers significantly less. Maine is already on track to raise its own minimum hourly wage to $15 in approximately the next decade, regardless of changes in federal law. In 2016, Maine voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to increase the state's minimum hourly wage from $7.50 to $12 by January 2020, and peg the wage to inflation after 2020.

Research shows that areas that raise their minimum wages see higher pay with no discernible employment losses. Further, Maine's own projections support that trend. According to the Maine Center for Economic Policy, recent increases in the state's minimum wage will boost pay for 143,000 Mainers in 2019, even as the state's job growth and employee hours have remained stable.

In the state legislature, Golden supported efforts to raise the minimum wage and fought for the referendum that increased the minimum hourly wage to $12.