Following Amazon $15 Minimum Wage Announcement, Middlesex County Mayors to Call For A Statewide Increase in the Minimum Wage

Mayors Cahill and Diaz Join Low-Wage Workers, Unions and Advocates to Push for Action on NJ $15 Minimum Wage This Year

New Brunswick: In light of Amazon’s announcement last week that it would raise the minimum wage for its entire workforce to $15 per hour by November 1st, Mayor James Cahill of New Brunswick and Mayor Wilda Diaz of Perth Amboy will be holding a press conference on October 11th to back efforts by Governor Murphy and State Legislators to phase in a $15 minimum wage in New Jersey.

New Brunswick and Perth Amboy are home to many low wage workers in the service, logistics, and residential construction industries who would benefit from an increase in the state’s minimum wage. Among these many depend on seasonal and temporary employment to provide for their families. Notable in Amazon’s announcement was that the wage increase would apply not just to direct hire employees, but also contracted seasonal and temporary workers.

Amazon joins a host of other companies that have raised their minimum wage, including Target, Walmart and Disney. Three states and more than a half dozen cities have implemented $15 wage increases. If New Jersey raises its minimum wage to $15 more than 1 million low wage workers stand to benefit – in Middlesex County alone, nearly 120,000 workers will benefit from the increase.

WHO: Mayors of New Brunswick and Perth Amboy, along with labor and community advocates including Make the Road New Jersey, New Jersey Working Families Alliance, Workers United, SEIU 32BJ, New Labor, Citizen Action of New Jersey.

WHAT: Press conference in support of raising the statewide minimum wage to $15/hour

WHERE: New Brunswick City Hall 78 Bayard St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

WHY: In light of Amazon announcement raising their minimum wage to $15, call for state legislative action on raising the minimum wage.

WHEN: Thursday October 11th 2:15pm

Interviews with Mayors Cahill and Diaz and low wage workers and advocates available upon request.

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