Dear Senator:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I urge you to become an original cosponsor of the Double Wage for Overtime Act and give millions of workers a raise so they can afford the ever-rising cost of living.
The rate of overtime pay has not been raised in nearly 90 years. The Double Time for Overtime Act would raise federal overtime pay to double a worker’s wage for every hour worked over 40 hours a week, instead of the current rate of time and a half. A worker making $25 an hour and working 10 hours overtime a week would make $6,500 more a year as a result of the bill. The Economic Policy Institute estimates the bill would help more than 13 million workers.
The affordability crisis isn’t just about consumer prices. It’s also a wage crisis. The K-shaped economy has meant that the lower half of the population has seen their real income decline in the past year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that labor’s share of the Gross Domestic Product is now at its lowest level on record, compared to corporate profits. The economy is out of balance, producing the world’s first trillionaire while the labor of millions of hardworking taxpayers goes undervalued. Working people need a raise, and Congress has some direct levers to pull to make that happen. The Double Wage for Overtime Act is one such lever.
An identical bill was introduced in the House earlier this year. The Double Wage for Overtime Act has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), UNITE HERE, National Nurses United (NNU), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Groundwork Action, and the Economic Policy Institute.
I urge you to support this important bill. To become an original cosponsor, contact Josh Crandell ([email protected]) in Senator Gallego’s office by Friday, July 31. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jody Calemine
Director, Government Affairs