Raise Up NY coalition responds to Governor Hochul’s Minimum Wage Promise; Calls for Living Wage with No Loopholes
New York, NY (December 11, 2023) – In response to Governor Hochul’s announced effort to ensure New Yorkers receive the increased minimum wage ($16 downstate and $15 upstate) beginning January 1, 2024, Tal Frieden, Raise Up NY coalition spokesperson and ALIGN Campaign Manager, released the following statement today:
“Today, Governor Hochul announced a renewed effort to ensure minimum wage earners receive ‘the wage increase they deserve.’ But we’re already failing workers. The new minimum wage severely undercuts New York’s estimated living wage of more than $21 statewide, and the law includes a harmful loophole that denies workers a raise in years of increased unemployment—when relief is needed most.
We can’t pat our backs with one hand and withhold good wages with the other. To deliver justice to New York’s workers, who are already getting less than workers in Washington State, California, Washington, D.C., and dozens of cities including Denver and Flagstaff, Governor Hochul must swiftly repeal off-ramp loopholes and establish wage parity upstate, so that no workers are left behind.
But we know there’s much more work to be done, and Raise Up NY will continue the fight for a livable wage for all New Yorkers.”
About Raise Up NY
Raise Up NY is a coalition of labor unions, community groups, workers’ rights organizations, and businesses that support underpaid workers in their fight for fair wages and an economy that works for everyone. In 2023,the coalition fought to pass the Raise the Wage Act to adopt a higher minimum wage with annual cost-of-living increases, winning a partial victory when Governor Hochul adopted a minimum wage that will reach $17 downstate and $16 upstate by 2026. But these raises are far from enough, and the fight for livable wages continues. Raise Up NY will work to ensure statewide minimum wage parity and repeal harmful loopholes that would freeze the minimum wage in years of increased unemployment. Coordinated by ALIGN, Raise Up NY includes steering committee members National Employment Law Project, Strong Economy for All, Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, For the Many, SEIU 32BJ, Make the Road NY, New York Communities for Change, Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, Churches United for Fair Housing, Worker Justice Center of New York, Partnership for the Public Good, Tompkins County Workers Center, and the Teamsters Union, among others.
About ALIGN
ALIGN (Alliance for a Greater New York) is a longstanding alliance of labor and community organizations united for a just and sustainable New York. ALIGN works at the intersection of economy, environment, and equity to make change and build movement. Our model addresses the root causes of economic injustice by forging strategic coalitions, shaping the public debate through strategic communications, and developing policy solutions that make an impact.
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