Across the country there is a clear discrepancy between minimum wage and the living wages. The national minimum wage is set by the business secretary each year on the advice of the Low Pay Commission an is enforced by HM Revenue and Customs. In contrast, the living wage is an informal benchmark, based on the amount an individual needs to earn to cover the basic costs of living in their respective state. Workers across the country have been engaged in a fierce struggle in the fight for living wages. In spite of persistent efforts, Congress has yet to move on increasing the federal minimum wage above $7.25. In response to Congress’s stagnate position on this topic various states including New York and California have started moving on this issue …show more content…
Recently, the DC council followed the steps of California and New York by approving a $15 minimum wage by 2020 to help reduce wage disparities in the District. Nevertheless, this is not enough. That is why DC Working Families is leading the DC for $15 campaign so that the the wage for all workers, including tipped workers can be raised. Tipped workers in DC will only see an increase from $2.77 to $5.00 by 2020. A $5 wage is simply not a sustainable living wage for any DC resident. Although, tipped workers often see an increase in wage through tips, those tips are not guarantee and this uncertainty could leave tipped workers in a vulnerable financial position.
The District of Columbia is an expensive town to live in. According to a recent report, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $2,215. That means a minimum wage worker would need to work an impossible 210 hours per month, 52 hours a week just to cover rent and these number are approximately twice as high for tipped workers making a $5 wage. Shelter is a necessity and our government should be doing everything in its ability to make sure that all DC residents are able to maintain a comfortable lifestyle in the