Indianapolis – On the fourth anniversary of the last time the minimum wage was raised, a broad coalition of local organizations, public advocates, and working families will hold a press conference to discuss the impact that raising the federal minimum wage would have for their families and the economy. The press conference will be held on Wednesday, July 24th at 10:30 am outside of Representative Andre Carson’s office at 300 E. Fall Creek Pathway, Indianapolis. Earlier this year, Congressional lawmakers introduced the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, which would boost the federal minimum wage from the current rate of $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour, raise the tipped minimum wage from $2.13 per hour to 70 percent of the full minimum wage, and index both wage rates to rise with the cost of living. As part of a national day of action, they hope to help bring attention to local efforts to “raise the wage”, including those by Representative André Carson, a vocal leader and co-sponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act.  “I make $8.00 an hour working full time”, says Brandon Finch of Indianapolis.  “I still struggle to pay my bills each month and worry about how bad it may get, we need to do something about this.”
 “It’s time to raise the minimum wage” says Community, Faith and Labor Coalition President Nancy Holle “because a job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it”. At the press conference, advocates for raising the minimum wage will release a report that examines the benefits of the Fair Minimum Wage Act for Indiana’s economy and workforce. Among its findings are:  

• An estimated 687,000 low-paid workers in Indiana – more than one out of every four workers in the state – would receive a raise if the federal minimum wage were increased to $10.10 per hour.*
   
• Raising the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would spur new consumer spending in Indiana, generating more than $726 million in new economic activity and supporting the creation of over 3,000 new full-time jobs as businesses expand to meet increased consumer demand.

Event organizers will continue to work and promote efforts to raise the minimum wage, and hope to get more residents who are in low-wage jobs to contact their Representatives to support the Fair Minimum Wage Act.