It’s clearer than ever that the $15 minimum wage is good for workers and the economy. Seattle was one of the first cities to raise its minimum wage to $15 in 2015, and studies have shown that this policy has not resulted in the business closures or job losses that trickle-downers forewarned.

On the contrary, research has continued to show that the $15 minimum wage can reduce racial economic disparities, combat poverty, reduce job loss, and increase tax revenue. Despite all of these benefits, the federal minimum wage still sits at a measly $7.25 an hour, and Congress hasn’t changed it in 12 years.

Right now, we finally have a chance to get Congress to raise wages for hundreds of thousands of workers who are earning the federal minimum wage, but we need your help: Will you sign our petition to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour?

A few weeks ago, the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey found that an all-time record of 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November, even while 6.7 million workers were hired in the same month – and that many of those quits and hires were in the low-paying hospitality sector. 

The numbers indicate that many workers are leaving low-paying jobs for better-paying positions in the same sector, suggesting that the "labor shortage" is really a wage shortage. Raising the minimum wage, then, would be an effective economic policy to combat the pandemic-era labor crisis, as raising the wage has been proven to encourage employee retention and create a more attentive, productive workforce. The additional economic benefit comes from the increased consumer demand that higher wages bring coupled with the fact businesses will hire more workers to meet the new demand.

A quarter of a million workers in states that adhere to the $7.25 minimum wage – including Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Utah, and Texas – will likely never see their paychecks increase without congressional intervention through an increase in the federal wage. Their shrinking consumer demand is holding back the entire American economy. It's time for all of America to enjoy the economic growth and prosperity that dozens of states and cities have seen in the aftermath of the Fight for $15. 

In 2022, America desperately deserves a raise. That’s why Civic Action is calling on Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to end the so-called labor shortage, stimulate the economy, and pay workers what they deserve. It’s not going to be easy to win this fight, so we’re counting on you to join us: 

Will you tell Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour?