Friday, September 18, 2015
United Way of New York City Joins Cuomo and Other Leaders for Economic Justice
“Raising the minimum wage isn't just a matter of economics, it’s a matter of civil rights," Governor Cuomo said. "The current minimum wage has trapped millions of hard working New Yorkers in poverty and has prevented them from finding a way out of it. This vicious cycle has left them at a permanent disadvantage and the time for change is now."
Mario Cuomo was a fighter for workers’ rights before, during and following his three terms as Governor of New York State. He successfully increased the minimum wage twice while in office, amounting to a total increase of 28 percent. He established the Garment Workers Strike Force to protect the rights of workers and eliminate sweatshops once and for all in the state. And he established the nation’s first joint State/union health care committee to contain raising health care costs – an effort that helped workers save thousands of dollars on care. The Mario Cuomo Economic Justice Campaign will continue this legacy of fighting for the most vulnerable by pushing to raise New York’s minimum wage in 2016, with a goal of $15 an hour....