‘7 Days @ Minimum Wage’ Premieres Today (a video blog (vlog) event)

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2006/10/23/%e2%80%987-days-minimum-wage%e2%80%99-premieres-today/

‘7 Days @ Minimum Wage’ Premieres Today

by James Parks, Oct 23, 2006

What’s life really like when you make at or near the minimum wage? Beginning today, workers will tell their experiences trying to make ends meet and support a family on the minimum wage on “7 Days @ Minimum Wage,” a video blog (vlog) event, sponsored by the AFL-CIO and ACORN. In the first installment, Paul Greg Valdez and his partner, Susan Windham, describe how he breaks his back every day for about $35.

Hosted by comedienne Roseanne Barr, “7 Days @ Minimum Wage” runs Oct. 23–30 and features interviews with seven workers describing life at or near the federal minimum wage, which has been frozen at $5.15 an hour since 1997.

In the vlog, Valdez says:

The minimum wage is just too low. Gas and food and housing, everything is going up and the minimum wage is staying the same. No, that’s not right.

You can see an excerpt from today’s “7 Days @ Minimum Wage” vlog by clicking here. Or watch the full installment at http://sevendaysatminimumwage.org/.

The AFL-CIO union movement has spearheaded America Needs a Raise campaign to raise the minimum wage at the state and federal level. The campaign has provided momentum to put the issue of raising the minimum wage on the Nov. 7 ballot in six states: Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio. (Congress will be in session for a few days after Nov. 7. Tell your lawmakers: It’s time for a real vote to raise the minimum wage. Send an e-mail here.)

[nofurylike]

1. heartbreaking, isn't it? thank you for posting it, Omaha Steve.

this can not go on!
we MUST insist on raising the minimum wage!

once congress is back...


peace

[MrSlayer]

2. That "Supersize Me" guy already did this.

He and his annoying girlfriend did it for a month. They showed how hard it was to make ends meet.

[texpatriot2004]

3. kick nm

[nofurylike]

4. kick. this is good stuff, and gives ways to make a difference. eom

[dajoki]

5. Thank you for posting this K&R...

WE NEED A LIVING WAGE!! Not a couple cents over a few years, but something people can actually help themselves with!!

[BlackVelvetElvis]

6. This is an epidemic

In my area of NC we had an economy that relied on textiles/furniture/tobacco to create the American dream for families. In the past, a factory worker could buy a house, support his family and send his kids to college on that wage.
That is long gone.
Factories have closed by the score. Most of those workers have little skills in other areas because of the past reliance on manufacturing jobs. Thank god, at least the state pays for some education in other areas.
We had to beg for Dell computers to come to our area (by giving them huge tax breaks) to pay the workers $13.46 per hour. Thats considered a great job in this area.
We all know how they've been performing lately. Is that a guarantee?
Meanwhile the cost of groceries has gone through the roof.
Working class families need help.
This makes up a large portion of the South. You want Southern voters? Help them get their dream back.

[OneBlueSky]

7. notice that Congress has no problem increasing THEIR salaries . . .

pretty much every year . . . yet they still refuse to increase the wages of those who really need it . . . I can't think of anything more hypocritical or, frankly, disgusting . . .