Minimum wage workers cannot afford rent in Iowa with a 40-hour week, new report says - Des Moines Register "Iowans earning minimum wage cannot afford rent for a one-bedroom home anywhere in the state unless they work at least 67 hours a week, according to a new report..." Working people can’t make ends meet in our state. Sign our petition and demand an increase in the federal minimum wage now >>

John,

Our friends and neighbors aren't getting paid a fair wage.

A new report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows that Iowans have to work at least 67 hours a week to afford rent for a one-bedroom home.

The work week only gets tougher for families. Renting a two-bedroom home forces many to work 85 hours a week (or the equivalent of two full-time minimum wage jobs). This doesn’t even account for the skyrocketing costs of health care, child care, education, transportation or food.

This isn't a matter of folks not working hard enough or failing to plan financially. It's a matter of failing our workers.

No one should be working themselves to the bone just to make ends meet. Hard work should be met with fair wages. If you agree, sign our petition and tell Congress to increase the federal minimum wage.

J.D. has heard this story far too many times: hard working, decent folks are putting in the hours to support themselves and their families but are still struggling to pay the bills.

The report found that families need to earn $15.46 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment, but the federal minimum wage is only $7.25 an hour.

We're failing working people, plain and simple.

We don't have to stomach this. Congress has the power to empower families, jumpstart our economy, and pass a long-overdue increase in the minimum wage.

We need to stand together and demand it, John. Will you sign your name next to ours and join the fight to pay workers a fair wage?

Thank you,

Team Scholten