Progressive Oasis

OMAHA, NE – Earlier in 2014, the Unicameral voted down LB 943, a measure to raise Nebraska’s minimum wage to $9.  The fight to raise the minimum wage in Nebraska has left legislature and is now in petition signature verifying mode. Over 130,000 signatures are now waiting to be validated by the Nebraska Secretary of State. The petition proposes a vote on raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8 January 1, 2015 and $9 on January 1, 2016. The legislative attempt to raise the wage,  LB943 failed on a 20-20 vote, and not one opponent stood up to speak on why they opposed it. “I’m disappointed, and I think the biggest thing that I’m disappointed in is that no one who was an opponent to the bill stood up and said why they’re opposed,” said Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha, the bill’s lead sponsor.
See more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/nebraska-minimum-wage_n_5069923.html

Like many Americans, many Nebraskans are working hard and not making enough to make ends meet. While average CEO pay in Nebraska ranks it 5th in the nation, the average worker pay only puts Nebraska in 40th place.  Nebraska has the 2nd largest pay gap in the nation, behind only Michigan. There is no excuse for this pay gap. While conservatives claim raises the minimum wage will lead to higher prices, they don’t make similar claims when executives receive million dollar bumps in their pay. A fact I find that only discredits their “minimum wage increase leads to higher prices” claim. If you work full time in America on a minimum wage, you should not be struggling.

The following two charts were created from info found at this link: http://www.aflcio.org/Corporate-Watch/Paywatch-2014/CEO-Pay-by-State In the chart immediately below, you can clearly see Nebraska ranks #5 in average CEO pay.

Top 10 States Average CEO Pay.

In this next chart immediately below, you can clearly see Nebraska ranks #40 in average worker pay.

Bottom 10 States Average Worker Pay.

I’d love to hear what Pete Ricketts wants his Big Government Handouts for. I wonder what TD Ameritrade’s shareholder payout is like these days.

McDonald’s Gives Raises to ShareHolders, but can’t do same for Workers?

Elizabeth Warren in the video below wonders why Minimum Wage isn’t at $22 like it should be if it kept up with production.  One of the panel members points out it could be at $33 if it kept up with executive pay.

Many opponents of a minimum wage increase argue it will raise prices, hurt jobs and hurt the economy overall.  I do not see any credibility in those claims, because no one complains executive pay increases and $20 billion payouts to shareholders will raise those same prices.  What people need to realize is that labor is why any corporation has any capital at all. It is long overdue for corporations to think better of the very people who make the filthy rich, filthy rich.