Pocan calls for minimum wage increase in light of protests

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) on Thursday called for an increase in the minimum wage amid protests by fast food workers around the country.

Workers at fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King and Domino’s were arrested for blocking traffic in front of restaurants across the country on Thursday. The Service Employees International Union sponsored the strike to advocate for raising workers’ wages to at least $15 per hour.

{mosads}Pocan argued the federal minimum wage of $7.25 was not enough for workers to make ends meet in the modern economy.

“Companies should pay their workers fair wages and put more money in the hands of consumers to help strengthen our economy. These companies are super-sizing their profits while their workers are struggling to make ends meet,” Pocan said.

“The myth of a minimum wage worker is a teenager living with their parents while working part-time after school. In fact, the minimum wage worker is a very real person who has had a stagnant wage while the rest of the economy has prospered,” Pocan added.