For Immediate Release: December 19, 2025
Media Contact: Lisa Thomas, lisa@alignny.org, (347) 415-6431
Raise Up NY coalition on NYC Action to Raise the Wage
Legislation to raise NYC’s minimum wage introduced Thursday
Minimum wage increases to $17 in NYC January 1
NEW YORK, NY – In response to new legislation introduced to increase New York City’s minimum wage, Theodore A. Moore, ALIGN Executive Director and leader of the Raise Up NY coalition issued the following statement:
“NYC is the richest and most expensive city in the country, yet one in four New Yorkers is living in poverty, struggling to make rent, pay for groceries, and cover the cost of childcare. Mayor-elect Mamdani won on an affordability agenda that included a $30 minimum wage by 2030 — a demand workers and advocates have long championed in response to skyrocketing prices and stagnating wages that are driving families out of our great city.
“Every New Yorker deserves the dignity of a living wage, and today, we are one step closer to delivering that mandate. For years, our coalition has fought for fair wages and an economy that works for everyone, and we look forward to working with the Council next session on legislation that fits the needs of all New Yorkers.”
Background:
- On January 1, 2026, New York State’s minimum wage will increase to $17 downstate (NYC, Long Island, and Westchester) and $16 upstate.
- NYC’s living wage — the hourly wage needed to cover basic necessities such as rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and childcare — is already more than $30 an hour (MIT Living Wage calculator).
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 state 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 a living wage continues. 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, Make the Road NY, New York Communities for Change, Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, Churches United for Fair Housing, Worker Justice Center of New York, Tompkins County Workers Center, and Teamsters Union, among others.
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