In response to an agreement between Gov. Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to raise New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15/hour, New Jersey Working Families Executive Director Analilia Mejia released the following statement:

“This is a huge victory for close to a million New Jerseyans who will now be able to cover the basics and support their families. We commend Gov. Murphy and legislative leadership for taking action to securing greater economic justice for New Jersey’s working families. This is a win-win for workers and the state’s economy as a whole, as working families will have more money in their pockets to buy goods and services at New Jersey businesses. Most importantly, this wage hike will put hundreds of thousands of working families on the path to the middle-class. Furthermore, by creating a higher wage floor, this proposal will allow workers greater choices and mobility, even those workers outside the scope of the proposed legislation.

Today’s victory comes after more than five years of advocacy, organizing, and countless conversations with voters and elected officials. However, our fight doesn’t stop here. This proposal unfortunately falls short for some, and as such, we will continue to fight for every worker in our state, particularly those who are most vulnerable. All New Jersey workers deserve a life where we can meet our basic needs and raise our families with dignity.”

New Jersey Working Families is a progressive political organization that fights for economic and social justice. It has convened New Jersey’s Fight for $15 campaign since 2015.