May 14, 2015
By George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU
New York, NY – The healthcare workers of 1199SEIU strongly support Governor Cuomo’s creation of a Wage Board to make recommendations on raising the wages of fast-food workers. Like our union’s homecare workers, the majority of fast-food workers are women, many of whom are struggling to raise families on poverty wages.
We represent 100,000 homecare workers, who allow seniors and people with disabilities to live with safety and dignity in their own homes. Because of the aging population, homecare is absolutely vital and has become the fastest-growing job in the U.S., but many homecare workers are still mired in poverty. We know that lifting up fast-food workers will help raise the floor for all low-wage workers. Economists have also shown that raising the minimum wage does not result in job losses, but in fact spurs the economy by putting more money in the hands of working people so they can buy essentials like clothing, food and school supplies.
It is a moral travesty that hardworking Americans struggle in poverty in the richest country in the history of the world. That is why we applaud Governor Cuomo’s bold and compassionate decision, and stand with our sisters and brothers in the Fight For $15.
