Make the Road New Jersey Youth Leaders Continue $15 Minimum Wage Push

Following Senate President Sweeney’s Comments about Excluding Teen Workers, Youth Workers will Collect Petition Signatures to Garner Support for $15 Minimum Wage with No Carveouts

(Rahway, NJ) Sept 22, 2018: Following statements by the Senate President on 101.5 that he favors carving out teen workers from a $15 minimum wage increase, and may delay the vote until next year, teen workers will conduct a canvass and petition drive in Rahway, NJ, as part of a state-wide effort to garner support for an increase in the minimum wage this year. 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 THIS YEAR with No Carveouts

WHERE: Main Street, Rahway

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: Saturday Sept 22nd, 1pm

Interviews with youth workers available upon request.

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