Story by Governor Cuomo’s Press Office: New York, NY – In May, Governor Cuomo instructed the State Department of Labor to launch a Wage Board to investigate and make recommendations on an increase in the minimum wage in the fast food industry. The Wage Board is expected to make recommendations for a possible increase by July; those recommendations do not require legislative approval in order to become enacted.
Jon Bon Jovi said, “Raising the wage is about fairness and giving hardworking New Yorkers more than a shot at making ends meet. In 2009, we wrote the song ‘Work For The Working Man’ to give a voice to the struggling American worker – and it’s no coincidence that Governor Cuomo uses it frequently at events. He is making sure that New York leads the nation to fight for fair pay and provide better opportunity for all. The Governor is a man that works for the working man in everything he does, and I thank him for his leadership to pay employees a living wage.”
The Governor and Jon Bon Jovi were joined at today’s rally, held at the headquarters of the Hotel and Motel Trades Council, by labor leaders from across the state.
Under New York State law, a Wage Board can suggest changes to the minimum wage in a specific industry or job classification if it finds that wages are insufficient to provide for the life and health of workers within that industry or classification. Despite being a well-established and thriving multi-billion dollar industry, the fast food sector employs tens of thousands of minimum wage workers in New York State – the vast majority of which are women, primary breadwinners for their households, and recipients of welfare or other forms of public assistance.
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