Senate passes minimum wage hike: GOP dealt major election year setback

by Les Bayless and Fred Gaboury

This article was reprinted from the 13 July, 1996 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

WASHINGTON - The AFL-CIO "America Needs a Raise" campaign scored a major victory July 9 when the Senate voted by a 74-24 margin to pass a "clean" increase in the minimum wage.

The Senate bill will raise the minimum wage to $5.15 by next July with the first increase of 50 cents to take effect 30 days after enactment. It now goes to a House/Senate conference committee it awaits reconciliation with a similar bill passed by the House May 23.

A weakness in the Senate measure, say critics, is that employers are permitted to pay workers below the age of 20 a sub-minimum wage for the first 90 days of employment.

David Newby, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, called the Senate action "one small step toward achieving some measure of economic justice for low-wage workers."

"It shows," he said, "that with enough pressure, even the most right-wing Congress in decades can be forced to respond to the needs of working people. And that should give us encouragement that we can make much-needed political changes in November."

Amy Dean, president of the South Bay Labor Council told the World the Senate action would give a boost to the California campaign for a livable wage. "It's a good first step toward bringing dignity to the workplace," she added. "Now for the next step - law reform that guarantees the right to organize and bargain."

Walter Johnson, president of the San Francisco Labor Council, is "happy that the scales have finally been removed from the eyes of some politicians" and that after many attempts to shelve an increase in the minimum wage "we have this first small step."

Johnson said, "There is a need to continue to fight for real jobs - not part-time or temporary jobs that look good on the statistical sheet, but jobs that put real money in the pockets of real people."

Johnson said the Senate action is the first step in a "march to a more inclusive America" and is "proof that the 'new voice' of labor is being heard."

Chris Townsend, political action director of the United Electrical Workers, called the vote a "great victory spelled with a capital 'G,'" and as "evidence" that the Democrats can expose these "right-wing characters" with a basic economic program. "All they are,"Jhe said, "is a bunch of money-grubbing, greedy bastards that are different from you and me."

Final passage of the measure followed days of frenzied activity inside and outside the Senate chambers. A noon-time rally on Tuesday, brought more than 1,000 trade unionists chanting "America needs a raise" to the West steps of the Capitol. In remarks interrupted with repeated cheers, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) told Republicans, "You're on the wrong side of the minimum wage. We're going to make sure they are out in November." GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole twice blocked a vote on the minimum wage, before resigning as Senate Majority Leader.

By the end of the week, the same Republican extremists who had dominated the 104th Congress had suffered a series of defeats that have given added impetus to the campaign to break the right wing grip on Congress in November.

• The final vote, once expected to be close, was an overwhelming 74-24 in favor. After failing in attempts to add "killer" amendments, 27 Republicans jumped on board, fearing voter backlash.
• Republicans failed to attach the "TEAM Act," which would allow company unions, when they realized they could not override a presidential veto if the measure were approved.
• Attempts to pass "Right to Work (for less)" legislation, which would prohibit companies from negotiating union shop contracts, was heading for certain defeat, with only hard-core right wingers supporting it.

Passage of a "clean" minimum wage bill came after a number of "poison pill" amendments were defeated. These amendments, proposed by Sen. "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.), would have denied the increase to over half the workers now receiving the minimum wage. It also contained provisions for a six month "training wage" of $4.25/hr for all new workers, regardless of age or experience.

During an often raucous debate, Senate Democrats took off the gloves. In a speech critical of the "smokescreen put up by employer groups that want [the TEAM Act]," Kennedy held up a chart showing the increase in the number of workers fired in union organizing campaigns. Kennedy said the Senate should be finding ways to protect these workers instead of allowing employers to circumvent unions.

Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) read a National Retail Federation letter telling its members that the Bond Amendment was the "best chance to kill a minimum wage increase."

"You can't fool anyone, you can't duck and run, you can't hide, you can't look for political cover," he warned GOP supporters of the amendment.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) ridiculed Sen. Phil Gramm's charge that Democrats were "monkeying with supply and demand" - and this from "the same Senator who was down here voting to preserve the woolen mohair subsidy."

Kerry also ridiculed Republican Senators who raise the issue of job losses for young workers and, at the same time, "zero-budgeted" federal summer jobs programs.

Senate supporters of the minimum wage increase pointed out that the federal minimum is at a 40-year low.

Victor Perlo, economic consultant to the World, called the Senate measure "a step toward regaining the losses of more than 20 years. What's needed," he continued, "is a minimum wage that will provide a modest standard of living - about equal to the $12.75 average hourly rate in the manufacturing industry."

Perlo urged a stepped up campaign at the local and state level in support of "Livable Wage" campaigns. "These can help set a pattern that can become a standard for the entire nation."