…it is required.” – Washington Post
Flanked by Good Jobs Nation workers at the White House, “the President made good on his promise by raising the minimum wage for federal contractors, signing an executive order giving thousands of workers a pay increase from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour.” – All in with Chris Hayes, MSNBC
Pentagon worker Jerome Hardy was excited to hear the news that he’d be getting a raise. “I know $10.10 is not a fortune, but I have waited eight years without a raise…I’m going to get my teeth fixed and I will pay off some of my credit card debt.” – The Guardian
“This is what we went on strike for last year,” Smithsonian Air & Space McDonald’s worker Alexis Vasquez said. – CNBC
“Obama is affirming the dignity and worth of all working people. As the CEO of the federal government, he is also sending a powerful message to the CEOs of private corporations that they too must honor their workers with just wages.” – Sr. Simone Campbell and Rev. Michael Livingston – Washington Post
“The victory underscores a larger victory for progressive activism…The White House initially said it was unwilling to sign this order absent congressional action, but focused campaigns from think tanks, organizers and unions apparently changed the White House’s mind. That’s a lesson activists will take to heart as the year progresses.” – The Nation
“In the meantime, there is more that Mr. Obama can and should do to help raise wages …for example, require preferential treatment in the federal bidding process for employers who offer better pay and benefits than their competitors. He could use executive orders to improve compliance among contractors with wage and safety standards, as was recently recommended in a congressional report on contractors’ widespread and repeat violations of labor law. He could require companies that seek to do business with the federal government to have a record of fostering and maintaining labor peace by, say, collectively bargaining over wages and, in that way, avoiding strikes, turnover and other disruptions that harm both workers and the public that relies on them.” – Watch the video and sign the petition thanking President Obama for his leadership.
If you haven’t seen it yet, watch the executive order signing replay here.