The Fight for $15: A Step in the Right Direction Following Minimum Wage Increase for Fast Food Worker

(New York City - July 22nd) Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins joined her colleagues in government including Governor Cuomo at a rally with fast food workers on July 22nd, as they celebrated the New York State Wage Board's decision to raise the minimum wage for fast food workers in New York City to $15/hour by 2018. The Governor established the Wage Board this year, which issued its recommendations to the cheers of the crowd. "The Wage Board's recommendations are a good first step," said Senator Stewart-Cousins, "but we need to ensure the minimum wage for all New Yorkers is also raised." The Senate Democrats that she leads have been calling for a higher minimum wage ever since the half-measure increase was passed by the legislature three years ago. The Senator continues to say the time is past due for New York State to pass legislation that will raise the minimum wage above the current $8.25/hour. Senator Stewart-Cousins and the Senate Democrats vow to keep up the fight to pass legislation to increase the minimum wage, seeing it as a means of helping to lift over a million New Yorkers out of poverty and to stimulate economic growth in communities across the state.