Pennsylvania Democrats urge GOP state Senate leaders to increase minimum wage
Twenty-one states increased their minimum wages on January 1st, but unfortunately, Pennsylvania was not among them.
The federal minimum wage, which is the legal minimum hourly wage that employers can pay, has not been raised since 2010. At its current rate of $7.25 an hour, it has remained unchanged for over a decade.
Efforts to increase the minimum wage over the past fifteen years have not been lacking in desire or effort. Last year, the Democratic-controlled House passed a measure to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but it did not gain traction in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Pennsylvania Democrats have prioritized raising the wages of the state’s lowest-paid workers for the upcoming 2025-2026 legislative session.
House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) expressed his strong disapproval of Pennsylvania’s current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, deeming it immoral. He shared his sentiments with reporters during the inaugural session of the newly elected House on January 7.
“It’s absolutely unacceptable. Given the dire affordability crisis we’re facing in this commonwealth, I find it incomprehensible that anyone would deem it appropriate to compensate someone with a mere $7.25 per hour,” he expressed his disbelief.
Governor Josh Shapiro plans to prioritize raising the minimum wage as he presents his 2025-2026 budget proposal next month. In fact, this will be the third consecutive budget in which Shapiro advocates for an increase in the minimum wage.
“To boost the economy, it is crucial to increase wages. It is high time that Pennsylvania passes a minimum wage raise,” stated Shapiro confidently during a press conference held in Lycoming County on Wednesday.
“The House has passed it two or three times over the years, but the Senate has yet to take it up,” said the individual.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Minimum Wage Advisory Board, approximately 68,000 workers in Pennsylvania earned minimum wage or less in 2023. Additionally, around 800,000 workers earned between $7.25 and $15 per hour. The demographic most commonly associated with earning minimum wage or less includes females, individuals who are white, and those between the ages of 20 and 24.
According to Yanette Lathrop, a senior researcher and policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project, a wage of $7.25 per hour is considered a poverty wage in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States.
Lathrop pointed out that the current amount of support is inadequate, even for single adults without children.
The United Way created the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) model to determine the living wages for families nationwide. This model calculates the minimum expenses for housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology, along with a 10% contingency fund.
According to this model, in order to achieve financial stability in Pennsylvania, a single full-time worker needs to earn between $13 and $19 per hour. For a family of four with two adults working full-time, the recommended wage range for financial survival is between $16 and $23 per hour.
“The workers who earn the federal minimum wage in Pennsylvania and Congress are essentially being condemned to a life of poverty due to their inaction,” lamented Lathrop.
In June 2023, the House of Representatives approved a bill that seeks to gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour over the course of the next three years. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for regular wage increases aligned with changes in the consumer price index.
Despite receiving some bipartisan support, including votes from two House Republicans, the GOP-led Senate did not consider it.
Bradford urged Senate Republicans to present a counter offer.
“We have demonstrated our ability to pass legislation. What is your stance on the minimum wage? Do you support maintaining it at $7.25 per hour? This is a topic that should be openly discussed in the public,” Bradford stated.
Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) reiterated his stance last week that Senate Republicans are open to discussing a “reasonable adjustment” to the minimum wage, but firmly stated that $15 an hour is not a viable option.
Pittman believes that the General Assembly should shift its focus towards generating more opportunities for businesses and workers.
According to a statement given to the Capital-Star, Pittman argues that the minimum wage debate overlooks the significance of maximum wages, which are the key to enabling families to thrive and succeed in the Commonwealth. Pittman expresses concern over the lack of emphasis placed by the House on initiatives aimed at fostering job opportunities that offer maximum wages, particularly those derived from the responsible utilization of natural resources bestowed upon us by God.
Pittman emphasized that unless the House members acknowledge the necessity of proposing a more reasonable number, there will be limited room for discussion.
According to Pittman, Senate Republicans have expressed opposition to a $15 an hour minimum wage due to concerns regarding its potential impact on nonprofit organizations that provide crucial social services.
According to Anne Gingerich, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, organizations face a complex challenge when it comes to balancing the need to provide services to as many clients as possible with the ethical responsibility to offer a fair wage to care workers.
“We prefer not to rely on public benefits such as SNAP or Medicaid for our employees,” Gingerich stated. She further mentioned that numerous nonprofit organizations have faced challenges in retaining their workers due to other employers offering higher wages.
Child care providers and other groups have successfully lobbied for increased state funding to support higher wages for workers. In fact, the 2024-2025 state budget has allocated $280 million specifically for raising wages for direct support professionals who provide individual care for autistic and intellectually disabled people. This significant investment demonstrates the recognition and importance of adequately compensating these dedicated caregivers.
“Our workforce is the most valuable asset for all nonprofit organizations,” Gingerich emphasized. “We have always prioritized supporting initiatives that aim to provide sustainable wages for both our employees and the individuals we serve.”
Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) remains optimistic about the Democrats’ push to raise the minimum wage, despite the Republican stance. He emphasizes that their sense of urgency remains intact and expresses hope for a bipartisan agreement on the specific increase in hourly wage and the timeline for its implementation.
Pennsylvania has been slower than other states in the region to increase its minimum wage above $7.25 an hour. While West Virginia and Ohio still have minimum wages below $15 an hour, New York leads the group with a minimum wage of $15.50 an hour.
Employers who are in search of a dependable and consistent workforce face a disadvantageous situation when workers have the option to earn significantly higher wages by crossing the border.
According to Costa, the responsibility lies with his colleagues in the Senate Republican caucus to address the issue. He mentioned that he hasn’t had any recent discussions with Republican leaders about it. Costa expressed hope that all four caucuses can come together and find a way to increase the minimum wage.
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