Day 7: Minimum Wage

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When the federal minimum wage was put into place in 1938, employers were required to pay their workers $0.25 per hour. Contrary to popular belief, President Franklin Roosevelt intended this to be a living wage that meant more than subsistence. Since then, the minimum wage has not kept pace with increased productivity or even inflation. In fact, the federal minimum wage has stayed at $7.25 since 2009.

There has been lots of push to raise the minimum wage, most of the action taking place at the state, county, and city levels. 29 states and the District of Columbia have higher minimum wages – ranging from $8.65 in Florida to $15 in D.C.

In the 1950s, a typical CEO made 20x the salary of their average worker. The ratio of CEO pay to employee pay has since increased 1,000%. Today, a typical CEO makes 361x the salary of their average worker, or $13,940,000 per year, compared to just $38, 613 for the average production worker. Take a look at this list that compares the average worker’s salary with its company’s CEO’s salary.

 

 

In 2017, 8.6% of white workers were paid poverty wages compared to 19.2%, or 1 in 5, for Hispanic workers, 14.3%, or 1 in 7, for Black workers, and 10.9% for Asian and Pacific Islander workers.

Today, we learn more about the history of the minimum wage, how and why it no longer reflects the needs of everyday Americans, and its disproportionate impact on people marginalized by racism and sexism.

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if you have…

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REFLECT

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Once you have completed today’s challenge, take a moment to reflect on any insights you experienced.

• How did the challenge make you feel?
• What did you learn?
• What did you notice about yourself after taking the challenge?
• Consider sharing this new awareness with a friend or group to help deepen your understanding of the information.
• Continue the conversation online and connect with others by joining our Racial & Social Justice Facebook group.

Let us know why this challenge is important to you by leaving your comment here.

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Thank you for joining us in our Stand Against Racism Challenge. Our work continues every weekday from May 2 – May 30. Each day you’ll be offered some content to help you take a deeper dive into the daily topic.

We ask that you undertake this challenge with an open mind and willingness to explore new ideas and allow yourself to sit with any emotions that may come up for you.

This content may be hard to process so consider having a self-care plan in place beforehand. This can include meditation before or after engaging, watching your favorite show, or doing something creative.

We look forward to going on this journey towards true equity and justice with you!

Just joining the SAR Challenge? Register and find the previous days here.

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