Around New England

Boston Globe Hosts Poll On $20-An-Hour Minimum Wage

November 25, 2023

The Boston Globe published arguments for and against Massachusetts establishing a $20 minimum wage.

Julio Mejia, a community organizer for Merrimack Valley Project and a school committee member-elect at the Greater Lawrence Technical School, argues that implementing a $20 minimum wage would signal Massachusett’s dedication to equity.

“Our state has been a national leader in championing progressive policies,” Mejia wrote. “The proposal to implement a $20 minimum wage in Massachusetts is an example of committing to economic equity and social justice. I wholeheartedly support this effort, as it promises to uplift working-class families and revitalize our local and state economies.”

Mejia commented that the state’s current minimum wage of $15 an hour is not enough for hardworking families. “The current minimum wage in Massachusetts still falls below providing a livable income in a state that is known for its high cost of living,” he wrote.

Jon Hurst, the president of the Retailers’ Association of Massachusetts argued against the proposal. “Unlike government and health care providers that can keep raising taxes and premiums, small businesses cannot keep raising prices and hope to keep their customers,” Hurst said. He specifically took aim at the idea of minimum wage earners being a family’s main source of income. 

“Activists in Massachusetts ignore the need for teens to have jobs for learning important skills and education savings, and oppose teen training wages, even though over 60 percent of Massachusetts voters would support such a law,” Hurst wrote.

As of Saturday, November 25, the poll had 95 votes with 56.84 percent supporting raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour.

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