Edwards calls for additional minimum-wage hike

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (D), calling a recent minimum-wage hike insufficient, said Monday that he wants increase the hourly minimum wage to $9.50 by 2012.

{mosads}“Raising the minimum wage is one of the most important steps we can take to lift working families out of poverty and into the middle class,” Edwards said. He also proposed to index the minimum wage and tie it to the national average wage.

“No one who works full-time should have to live in poverty,” the 2004 Democratic vice presidential candidate added. “If a job takes you away from your family every single day — or for many low-wage workers, all through the night — it had better pay you enough to support them.”

Earlier this year, Congress increased the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25.