For Immediate Release: February 12, 2025
Contact: Lisa Thomas, 347-415-6431, lisa@alignny.org
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Low-Wage Worker Leaders Push for Higher Wages
Graduates of Raise Up NY coalition’s Wage Warriors Leadership Academy met with legislators to elevate rising costs & stagnant wages as key affordability issue
Wage Warriors graduation
Albany, NY — On Tuesday, February 11, worker leaders from the Raise Up NY coalition met with state lawmakers about the rising cost of living statewide and the need for higher wages.
The coalition hosted a The Price is Right-style game in the halls of the Capitol, asking legislators to guess the average cost of goods and the corresponding number of hours worked at the lower upstate minimum wage ($15.50). Raise Up NY is pushing for the Upstate Parity & Minimum Wage Protection Act (S8154/A9093), which would set one statewide minimum wage floor and guarantee annual cost-of-living raises to keep pace with rising costs.
| Average Cost | Hours Worked on Upstate Minimum Wage | |
| One month of groceries for a single adult | $405 | 26 |
| One month of childcare | $1698 | 110 hours i.e. 14 work days |
| One year of diapers | $1200 | 77 |
| Trip to the movies for a family of four in Albany | $95 | 6 |
| Tank of gas | $45 | 3 |
| One month of rent in Rockland County | $2158 | 139 hours i.e. 17 work days |
The coalition also commemorated the graduation of the inaugural Wage Warriors leadership academy, a project of the coalition, ALIGN, and the Center for Popular Democracy to support low-wage worker leaders with organizing, media, and labor history trainings. Workers from across the state united in the Capitol to put their learnings into action and share their stories with legislators, advocating for upstate wages that match the inflated cost of basic necessities.
The Price is Right: Money is Tight edition
“When one month of childcare and one month of rent upstate equals 31 eight-hour work days earning the minimum wage, the math just doesn’t add up. Governor Hochul has been hyper-focused on putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, but she’s failed to see the underlying problem — her 2023 minimum wage law didn’t go far enough, and no short-term fix will solve codified poverty wages. No one should have to work multiple jobs or leave the state to make ends’ meet. It’s time to take accountability, do right by workers, and pass the Upstate Parity and Minimum Wage Protection Act,” said Tal Frieden, ALIGN Campaign Manager for the Raise Up NY coalition.
Background – Upstate Parity and Minimum Wage Protection Act (S8154/A9093)
- The MIT Living Wage calculator shows a living wage in New York state is more than $27/hr
- Bill sets a new wage floor upstate and down by establishing a statewide minimum wage of $17/hr by 2026
- Eliminates a loophole in the current minimum wage law that denies workers a raise when unemployment goes up
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 a living wage continues. Raise Up NY is fighting for raises for millions of workers statewide, justice for upstate workers, and guaranteed annual increases to keep up with cost of living. 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 the Teamsters Union, among others.
About ALIGN
ALIGN (The Alliance for a Greater New York) brings together labor, climate, and community organizations for a more just, sustainable New York. Working at the intersection of economic and climate justice, ALIGN builds coalitions with those most impacted and uplifts worker and community voices to fight for dignity in the workplace and a just path to a renewable energy economy for all.
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