The Minimum Wage: NCTE in the news

Already this year, there have been policy advancements that could dramatically impact the lives of transgender people. Not the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (yet), nor the federal hate crime bill (yet). But one advancement that we are watching closely is the proposed increase in the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour.

NCTE has joined with ten other LGBT organization in signing a letter asking the Senate to folow the lead of the U.S. House of Representatives which has already passed the increase.

In a letter to the Senate, we collectively noted, “The current minimum wage makes it difficult for workers to support their families and themselves. As working peoples’ wages have remained stagnant or declined over the last ten years, their health care, energy and housing costs have increased substantially."

The lead on this collaborative letter to the Senate was taken by our friends Pride at Work, AFL-CIO, which has been among the strongest supporters of trans-inclusive policies.