The minimum wage is set to officially go up.
An Obama administration official confirmed that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order today to set the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour for workers under federal contract.
Low-wage workers who called on Obama to issue the order are expected to be present when the signing takes place at the White House. Exactly who will be covered under the new order will be made public during the event as well as other details, according to the official.
The signing of executive order confirms the policy proposal Obama explained during his recent State of the Union address. In light a minimum wage bill not being passed by the Senate or the House since he initially proposed raising the wage last February, the commander-in-chief took matters into his own hands with a vow to hike the wage-floor himself regarding workers under federal contracts.
“I’m eager to work with all of you,” Obama shared with lawmakers during the State of the Union. “But America does not stand still — and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.”
The minimum wage increase won’t be the only thing put into effect by the executive order. An outline released by the White House earlier this month states the order will tie the contractors’ minimum wage to an inflation index.
The signing caps off a history of struggle by labor groups and progressive members of Congress to get the president to sign such an order in the months leading up to his State of the Union address. The effort hit home for workers employed by federal contractors, who participated in one-day walkouts to protest low pay.
via EURWeb
