Double the Minimum Wage

A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. Yet millions labor from sunrise to exhaustion and still cannot afford rent, food, or medicine. This is not a failure of effort—it is a failure of justice. The minimum wage, stagnant and eroded by time, no longer sustains life. We must act.

The case is simple: Raise the wage. No economy can thrive when its workers are too poor to participate in it. Doubling the minimum wage lifts families from survival to stability, injects money into local businesses, and affirms that dignity is not a privilege but a right.

This is not charity—it is fairness. When wages rise, so does productivity, health, and economic growth. It is a policy rooted in both compassion and common sense. The wealth of a nation is not measured by its billionaires but by the well-being of its people.

Action, not rhetoric, will change lives. The time for excuses has passed. The time for action is now. Pay people what they deserve, and watch a nation rise.

Key Stats

1. Living Wage Gap: The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is far below the living wage in most regions; for example, in many urban areas, a living wage is estimated at over $15 per hour, meaning millions of workers currently earn less than what is needed to cover basic expenses like rent, food, and healthcare.

2. Poverty Reduction Potential: Research by the Economic Policy Institute shows that raising the minimum wage to a living wage level could reduce the poverty rate by 2–5 percentage points, lifting millions of workers and their families out of poverty and reducing reliance on government assistance programs.

3. Boost in Consumer Spending: Studies indicate that every $1 increase in wages leads to an approximate $2.50 increase in total consumer spending, which can stimulate local economies, drive business growth, and create a multiplier effect that benefits the broader economy.

4. Lower Employee Turnover: Evidence suggests that companies paying higher wages see turnover rates drop by up to 50%, which not only improves worker morale and productivity but also saves businesses billions of dollars annually in training and recruitment costs.

5. Improved Health and Productivity: Increased wages are linked to better health outcomes, with research showing that higher earnings can reduce employee absenteeism by 10–15% and enhance overall productivity, ultimately lowering healthcare costs and strengthening economic output.

Our Allies

1. Fight for $15
   A nationwide movement primarily led by low-wage workers, Fight for $15 has become the face of the struggle to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour—and in some cities, even higher—through direct action, organizing, and policy advocacy.

2. AFL–CIO
   The nation’s largest federation of unions, AFL–CIO works on a wide range of labor issues—including advocating for robust minimum wage increases—to ensure that workers receive a fair share of economic prosperity.

3. Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
   Representing millions of workers in service sectors, SEIU has been a staunch advocate for higher wages, often supporting campaigns to raise or double the minimum wage as part of its broader labor agenda.

4. Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United)
   Focused on the restaurant industry—a sector where low wages are common—ROC United champions wage hikes and better labor conditions for food service workers through advocacy and worker organizing.

5. National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)
   Representing a workforce that’s predominantly low-wage and often marginalized, the NDWA advocates for higher pay, better benefits, and stronger labor rights for domestic workers.

10 Steps

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Wage Policy Audit
   Leverage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Economic Policy Institute, and the Congressional Budget Office to document current wage levels, cost-of-living benchmarks, and regional disparities. For example, while the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 since 2009, studies show that in many urban areas, a living wage exceeds $15 per hour. This detailed audit will identify gaps and quantify the economic impact of stagnant wages, providing a robust, data-driven baseline for reform.

2. Build a Multi-Stakeholder Coalition for Wage Reform
   Assemble a coalition that includes labor unions, worker advocacy groups, community organizations, economists, and social justice advocates. Convene an inaugural summit with representatives from at least 50 organizations nationwide to pool expertise and resources. This united coalition will amplify calls for wage reform and ensure that diverse voices from affected communities are heard in policy discussions.

3. Develop a Detailed Legislative and Policy Agenda
   Craft a comprehensive policy blueprint that calls for doubling the minimum wage, closing tax loopholes, and incentivizing living wages in the private sector. Proposals should include specific benchmarks—such as increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 to approximately $14.50 nationwide within three years—supported by research demonstrating that higher wages boost consumer spending and reduce poverty. This agenda will serve as a clear roadmap for lawmakers and stakeholders.

4. Launch a Data-Driven Public Awareness Campaign
   Utilize compelling statistics and personal stories to reshape public understanding of wage inequality. For instance, research indicates that higher wages lead to lower employee turnover and improved community health outcomes. Deploy a multi-platform media strategy—including social media, interactive webinars, and town hall meetings—with targets like reaching 2 million individuals and increasing public support for wage reform by at least 25% over the next year.

5. Implement Targeted Lobbying and Policy Advocacy
   Organize strategic meetings, policy briefings, and public hearings with key legislators, particularly those on labor, budget, and economic committees. Present the legislative agenda alongside hard data—such as studies showing that every dollar increase in wages generates an additional $1.50 in consumer spending—and personal testimonies from workers struggling to make ends meet. Aim to secure commitments from at least 30 influential policymakers to champion the proposed reforms.

6. Mobilize Grassroots and Community Action
   Coordinate local advocacy groups to organize rallies, petition drives, and digital campaigns demanding a living wage for all. Distribute comprehensive advocacy toolkits—including sample letters, social media graphics, and guidelines for contacting elected officials—to empower communities. Set measurable targets, such as a 40% increase in grassroots events and collecting over 500,000 petition signatures nationwide within 18 months, ensuring sustained public pressure for change.

7. Establish a Legal and Regulatory Oversight Team
   Form a dedicated legal unit drawing on expertise from public interest law firms and organizations like the ACLU to defend the new wage policies against legal challenges. This team should be prepared to initiate swift legal action—targeting a response time of 48 hours—to counteract attempts to roll back wage reforms. Historical precedents show that rapid legal intervention can protect policy victories and secure long-term progress.

8. Implement Robust Monitoring and Accountability Mechanisms
   Create an independent oversight board composed of economists, policy experts, and representatives from worker advocacy groups. Develop a publicly accessible dashboard—updated quarterly—with key performance indicators such as wage growth, poverty reduction, and improvements in worker well-being. This transparency will enable continuous evaluation and timely adjustments to ensure that wage reforms deliver measurable economic benefits.

9. Engage in Strategic Electoral Politics
   Identify and support political candidates with a proven commitment to economic justice and wage reform. Organize targeted voter registration drives and issue-focused campaigns in key swing districts, using data from organizations like the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) to focus outreach efforts. Aim to mobilize tens of thousands of new, economically engaged voters before the next election cycle, reshaping the political landscape in favor of a living wage.

10. Institutionalize Wage Reform for Long-Term Impact
    Partner with universities, think tanks, and policy institutes to develop standardized training programs and policy manuals that embed wage reform into federal and state frameworks. Establish permanent commissions—such as a National Commission on Fair Wages—to review and update wage policies every two years. Commission longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impacts on economic mobility, workforce productivity, and overall national prosperity, ensuring that these reforms evolve with changing economic conditions.