Dear Representative:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I urge you to oppose the Smith Amendment to H.R. 2029, which would prevent the implementation of the Executive Order raising the minimum wage of government contractors to $10.10 per hour. The U.S. government should use its clout to raise the incomes of the lowest-paid workers, not keep thousands of workers in poverty.
Nothing drives job creation more than consumer demand. Raising the minimum wage pumps more money into local economies, lowers turnover, and improves productivity. Countless academic studies have disproven the threat of job losses due to minimum wage increases. The federal government should be a leader among high-road employers, not lag behind the many employers who recognize that workers are also potential customers, and support raising the minimum wage.
The U.S. government should use its clout to raise the incomes of the lowest-paid workers, not keep thousands of workers in poverty. Please vote no on the Smith Amendment.
Sincerely,
William Samuel, Director
Government Affairs Department