As Twitchy mentioned earlier, the Obama administration today jumped into the #FightFor15 minimum wage movement with both feet as part of its White House Summit on Worker Voice. President Obama addressed questions in a town hall meeting that was co-hosted by Coworker.org, a site which hosts workplace petitions, such as the critical #FreeTheBeard movement to update the oppressive dress code at the Publix grocery chain.
The president, who has had nearly seven years to address unemployment and job creation, threw his weight behind the #StartTheConvo initiative by speaking about the importance of unions, affordable health coverage and child care and flexible scheduling.
Every hardworking American should earn enough money to support their family → http://t.co/12kdzQvx1i #StartTheConvo http://t.co/L3knYHPPrS
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
The president made no secret that he’s pro-union, even without having to use the word “union.”
"We need to help link folks so there's a workers movement across the economy." —@POTUS #StartTheConvo pic.twitter.com/78z5XOGnTQ
— US Labor Department (@USDOL) October 7, 2015
"The 40-hour workweek.
Overtime pay.
Health insurance.
Retirement plans.
The middle class itself was built on a union label." —@POTUS— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
"Good pay.
Benefits.
Workplace safety.
Work-family balance.
Skills training.
The freedom to organize.
That’s what unions secured" —@POTUS— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
"When folks attack unions, they’re attacking the middle class. They’re attacking cops, firefighters, teachers" —@POTUS #StartTheConvo
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
He might want to check with the dues-paying teachers in the country’s largest labor union, many of whom are furious with NEA leadership for endorsing Hillary Clinton even before her first debate with Bernie Sanders. Or perhaps he could check with Baltimore’s police union, which just saw the city award a $6 million settlement to the family of Freddie Gray before the trials of the officers accused of his death have even begun.
"If you’re not at the table—you’re on the menu. So we’ve got to get more working Americans to the table" —@POTUS #StartTheConvo
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
What? That makes as much sense as his goal to “empower workers to give them a sense of possibility.”
"If you work hard in America, you should actually be able to take care of those you love." —@POTUS: http://t.co/12kdzQvx1i #LeadOnLeave
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
RT if you agree: It's time to raise the minimum wage. http://t.co/12kdzQvx1i #RaiseTheWage #StartTheConvo pic.twitter.com/r3eERD7O30
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) October 7, 2015
#RaiseTheWage to what? The old proposal of $10.10? Is President Obama going to #FightFor15 or not?
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Related:
President’s minimum wage proposal still falls short of ‘living wage’
‘Obamacare math’: Nancy Pelosi claims $10.10 minimum wage would create 85,000 jobs; Citizens call BS
‘People never learn’: NYC fast food workers cheering $15 minimum wage are ‘in for a rude awakening’
‘Do as we say, not as we do’: Freedom Socialist Party skirts own $20 minimum wage demand
Big wampum: Sen. Elizabeth Warren asks why the minimum wage isn’t $22 per hour
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