To: The 32nd Guam Legislature
Fair Wages for Working-Class Guamanians
Pass Bill No. 316-32 (LS), a reenactment of the Minimum Wage and Hour Act of Guam’s Fair Labor Standards, which would responsibly raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over the next three years.
Why is this important?
Of the 6,514 families presently living in poverty—with many having to make the choice to pay bills before buying food—44 percent or 2,874 of those families have female heads of household without a contributing male present. These women aren’t just teenagers looking for extra money; they are mothers hoping to build a stable foundation for their children’s future.
Yet, this simple dream—based on the premise that law-abiding and hardworking members of the community can give their children a better life—isn’t real for thousands of hardworking Guamanians.
You see, some of island’s biggest businesses have made more money year after year—all the while holding wages flat.
When indexed against the cost of housing, food, medical care, and electricity; today’s minimum wage would have to be $8.41 an hour just to have the same purchasing power as it did in 2007.
This means that thousands of people who work full-time jobs still have to raise their families in poverty.
Although Guam is blessed with many good corporate citizens, too many people—too many of our neighbors—are still weighed down by minimum wages that can never lift them out of indigence or allow them the opportunity to work their way out of the hard life.
After more than six months of study and consultation with economists Dr. Claret Ruane, Dr. Rosanne Jones, Mr. Joe Bradley, Mr. Gary Hiles and Mr. Albert Perez, Vice Speaker BJ Cruz introduced legislation, Bill No. 316-32 (LS), to raise Guam’s Minimum Wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour over the next three years.
According to federal and local labor figures, hourly wages, total employment, and the number of hours worked after the last three minimum wage increases in 2007, 2008, and 2009, either held steady or rose.
Put simply, the Guam experience says increasing the minimum wage does not kill jobs, cut hours or cause the collapse of our economy. And our experience is also the experience of our nation. The federal government has raised the minimum wage 22 times since 1938, and every time the same counsels of doubt and cynicism have proclaimed that the economic sky would fall -- yet history has not been kind to their predictions. Here we are, still working, still building, still trying to expand the circle of opportunity for everyone willing to work for it.
Many of you support this measure but will be too busy working a second shift, cooking dinner for your families, or helping your kids with their homework to attend public hearings. Or, even more concerning, many of you have been intimidated by employers, your voice suppressed by the climate of fear perpetuated by pro-business politics that is more concerned about the bottom line: profit margins.
Regardless of your hourly wage or your station in life, your opinion matters.
Express your support by calling your Senators, talking about the minimum wage issue with friends on Facebook, or simply signing this petition to stand up for fair wages for our fellow working-class Guamanians.
Yet, this simple dream—based on the premise that law-abiding and hardworking members of the community can give their children a better life—isn’t real for thousands of hardworking Guamanians.
You see, some of island’s biggest businesses have made more money year after year—all the while holding wages flat.
When indexed against the cost of housing, food, medical care, and electricity; today’s minimum wage would have to be $8.41 an hour just to have the same purchasing power as it did in 2007.
This means that thousands of people who work full-time jobs still have to raise their families in poverty.
Although Guam is blessed with many good corporate citizens, too many people—too many of our neighbors—are still weighed down by minimum wages that can never lift them out of indigence or allow them the opportunity to work their way out of the hard life.
After more than six months of study and consultation with economists Dr. Claret Ruane, Dr. Rosanne Jones, Mr. Joe Bradley, Mr. Gary Hiles and Mr. Albert Perez, Vice Speaker BJ Cruz introduced legislation, Bill No. 316-32 (LS), to raise Guam’s Minimum Wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour over the next three years.
According to federal and local labor figures, hourly wages, total employment, and the number of hours worked after the last three minimum wage increases in 2007, 2008, and 2009, either held steady or rose.
Put simply, the Guam experience says increasing the minimum wage does not kill jobs, cut hours or cause the collapse of our economy. And our experience is also the experience of our nation. The federal government has raised the minimum wage 22 times since 1938, and every time the same counsels of doubt and cynicism have proclaimed that the economic sky would fall -- yet history has not been kind to their predictions. Here we are, still working, still building, still trying to expand the circle of opportunity for everyone willing to work for it.
Many of you support this measure but will be too busy working a second shift, cooking dinner for your families, or helping your kids with their homework to attend public hearings. Or, even more concerning, many of you have been intimidated by employers, your voice suppressed by the climate of fear perpetuated by pro-business politics that is more concerned about the bottom line: profit margins.
Regardless of your hourly wage or your station in life, your opinion matters.
Express your support by calling your Senators, talking about the minimum wage issue with friends on Facebook, or simply signing this petition to stand up for fair wages for our fellow working-class Guamanians.