New York, NY- Today homecare and healthcare workers called on the “Minimum Wage Reality Check” Campaign, a new initiative by some businesses opposed to the $15 minimum wage, to acknowledge the day-to-day reality of working New Yorkers. The everyday reality for many working people is filled with struggle, financial insecurity, lack of opportunity, fear and hardship even when they are working 40 hours a week or more. Healthcare workers are encouraging everyone to support the $15 minimum wage on social media using the hashtag #MinWageRealityCheck to ensure the day-to-day reality of minimum wage workers is heard loud and clear.
“I’m trying to raise four children on $10 an hour, so sometimes I have to work seven day weeks and occassionally 22 hour work days,” said Lisa Johnson, a 45-year-old homecare worker from Queens. “I have no choice, I can’t think about sleep, I have to do whatever it takes for my children. Even though I do important work caring for seniors, my kids are on Medicaid and sometimes I’m forced to rely on food stamps to feed them.”
Homecare and healthcare workers are urging the “Minimum Wage Reality Check” Campaign to not just champion the reality of New York’s millionaires and billionaires. Although reality for the top 1% is better than ever, it is just not realistic to live or raise a family on $18,000 a year in New York, which is the income of someone working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year at the state minimum wage of $8.75.
The $15 minimum wage would raise up hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes, homecare, clinics and pharmacies, and 2.2 million total working New Yorkers. Not only would it help those working families, but also economists say that it would boost the economy because working people are likely to immediately spend the money on school supplies, food and other essentials. This would help address economic inequality in New York, one of the most unequal states in the country.
New York City has the most billionaires of any city in the nation, according to Forbes Magazine. Homecare and healthcare workers also point out that raising the minimum wage would promote the quality and continuity of patient care for New Yorkers. When healthcare workers have poverty-level wages, it hurts recruitment and retention of qualified staff and therefore patient care suffers.
“Ultimately, the Fight For $15 is about what kind of state we want New York to be. What is our moral character?” said George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. “Are we a place where the lucky take all, and the left out have nothing? Or are we going to be a place where all New Yorkers – working people, immigrants, students, artists, musicians, seniors – can build a life with security, fairness, opportunity and dignity? In one of the richest states in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, this is the central moral question we have to confront.”
Low-wage healthcare workers vowed to push back powerfully against falsehoods, cynicism and greed at every turn in order to win the Fight For $15 in New York. Thousands will be rallying at Foley Square in Downtown Manhattan at 4 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
###
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest healthcare union in New York and the nation. They represent over 250,000 New York homecare and healthcare workers, and over 400,000 total members throughout the East Coast. Their mission is to achieve quality healthcare and good jobs for all.
“I’m trying to raise four children on $10 an hour, so sometimes I have to work seven day weeks and occassionally 22 hour work days,” said Lisa Johnson, a 45-year-old homecare worker from Queens. “I have no choice, I can’t think about sleep, I have to do whatever it takes for my children. Even though I do important work caring for seniors, my kids are on Medicaid and sometimes I’m forced to rely on food stamps to feed them.”
Homecare and healthcare workers are urging the “Minimum Wage Reality Check” Campaign to not just champion the reality of New York’s millionaires and billionaires. Although reality for the top 1% is better than ever, it is just not realistic to live or raise a family on $18,000 a year in New York, which is the income of someone working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year at the state minimum wage of $8.75.
The $15 minimum wage would raise up hundreds of thousands of healthcare workers in hospitals, nursing homes, homecare, clinics and pharmacies, and 2.2 million total working New Yorkers. Not only would it help those working families, but also economists say that it would boost the economy because working people are likely to immediately spend the money on school supplies, food and other essentials. This would help address economic inequality in New York, one of the most unequal states in the country.
New York City has the most billionaires of any city in the nation, according to Forbes Magazine. Homecare and healthcare workers also point out that raising the minimum wage would promote the quality and continuity of patient care for New Yorkers. When healthcare workers have poverty-level wages, it hurts recruitment and retention of qualified staff and therefore patient care suffers.
“Ultimately, the Fight For $15 is about what kind of state we want New York to be. What is our moral character?” said George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. “Are we a place where the lucky take all, and the left out have nothing? Or are we going to be a place where all New Yorkers – working people, immigrants, students, artists, musicians, seniors – can build a life with security, fairness, opportunity and dignity? In one of the richest states in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, this is the central moral question we have to confront.”
Low-wage healthcare workers vowed to push back powerfully against falsehoods, cynicism and greed at every turn in order to win the Fight For $15 in New York. Thousands will be rallying at Foley Square in Downtown Manhattan at 4 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
###
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest healthcare union in New York and the nation. They represent over 250,000 New York homecare and healthcare workers, and over 400,000 total members throughout the East Coast. Their mission is to achieve quality healthcare and good jobs for all.
