Protesters call for hearing on minimum wage increase

About 35 sign-carrying protesters are lining the 3 ^rd -floor rotunda today, calling for Idaho to raise its $7.25 per hour minimum wage. Legislation introduced in the House to raise the wage hasn’t gotten a hearing; instead, both houses have passed legislation to forbid local ballot measures or ordinances to locally increase the minimum wage.

“We’re nearing the end of the session,” said Adrienne Evans of United Action for Idaho, “and people are growing increasingly frustrated that after three years, we have not gotten a hearing on increasing the minimum wage.” She said, “Our view is this is not a partisan issue, but they have tried desperately to make it one.”

Evans said 20 percent of Idahoans are on some form of public assistance. “We have polls that say 70 percent of Idahoans want this,” she said. Protesters’ signs have messages including, “We can’t survive on $7.25,” and “We are worth more.”