Make the Road New Jersey Youth Leaders Bring $15 Minimum Wage Petition Drive to Paterson to Ensure Teen Workers are not Excluded from NJ Minimum Wage Hike

Youth Workers Continue Summer Long Canvass of Cities Across New Jersey to Garner Support for $15 Minimum Wage with No Carveouts

(Paterson, NJ) August 22, 2018: As New Jersey moves forward to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, teen workers are at risk of being left behind. Young workers work side-by-side with their older counterparts across industries, and they often perform the same work. Many young workers come from struggling low- and middle-income households, and their earnings provide essential household income. Young workers are also often high school and college students who study hard and work long hours to try and cover at least some of their education expenses and save for college. A higher minimum wage would allow them to cover more of tuition costs, finish school more quickly, and take out fewer loans. For ten weeks this summer, working-class youth from Make the Road New Jersey have conducted a canvass across the state to collect thousands of petition signatures in support of a clean $15 minimum wage.

WHO: Youth workers from Make the Road New Jersey
WHAT: Petition Drive and Canvass to Support a Clean $15 Minimum Wage with No Carveouts
WHERE: Corner of Market and Main Street, Paterson, NJ
WHY: As legislators threaten to exclude youth workers from a minimum wage increase to $15/hour in New Jersey, youth workers are organizing to fight for a clean $15 minimum wage without carveouts for youth workers, farm workers or tipped workers.
WHEN: Wednesday August 22nd, 11am

Interviews with youth workers available upon request.

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