Please join us for a #RaiseTheWage Twitterstorm on Thursday, April 30^th, 1-2 pm ET, in support of the introduction of the Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $12 by 2020.
Tomorrow the Raise the Wage Act will be introduced by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Robert Scott (D-VA). The bill aims to increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $12 by 2020. This would boost wages for 37 million workers in America and roughly restore the minimum wage to its purchasing power in the late 1960s.

In addition to raising wages to $12, the bill would gradually eliminate the subminimum wage for tipped workers (or tipped minimum wage), which currently allows tipped workers to be paid only $2.13 an hour. It also finally indexes the minimum wage so that it maintains its value over time as prices and the cost of living increase.

Raising the minimum wage has widespread support across America and is long overdue. Many states have already passed higher minimum wage laws, and protests and strikes demanding higher wages have been place taking place across America.  Raising subpar wages would improve the lives of millions, decrease poverty, and stimulate our economy.  As we’ve shared before, a paycheck is no longer a guarantee for economic security in the US. At both the state and federal levels, more than half of total spending on public assistance programs goes to working families.  Higher wages and employer-provided health care and other benefits would lower state and federal costs on these programs, allowing funds to be spent elsewhere or be distributed to those in most need.

CHN is joining the National Employment Law Project and advocates across the nation for a Twitterstorm tomorrow, Thursday, April 30 from 1-2pm ET to show our support for this legislation and similar acts by Congress. The hashtags are #RaiseTheWage, #12by2020, and #1FairWage.

At the bottom of this post are sample tweets (with key facts) and graphics for you to share with your networks during the Twitterstorm – and after to continue to spread the word.

Wage stagnation and income inequality is a national crisis in America. Our action is needed to show lawmakers that this is a critical issue for the American people and will continue to be top-of-mind for voters throughout the 2016 election season. Raising our voices across social media will also help debunk myths about who earns a low-wage and the presumed negative effects of raising wages on businesses large and small.

Sample Tweets:

1/4 of all children in the U.S. have a parent that would benefit from @PattyMurray’s proposal to raise the wage #12by2020 [graphic or link]

.@PattyMurray, @repbobbyscott propose to give nearly 38 million Americans a pay increase & help more families gain economic security #12by2020 [graphic or link]

.@PattyMurray & @repbobbyscott’s #12by2020 proposal would disproportionately benefit women—2/3 of today’s minimum wage workers are women. [Graphic]

Women make up more than half of workers who will benefit from the Raise the Wage Act #12by2020 [graphic or link]

Women represent half of minimum wage workers who will benefit from Sen. Murray’s proposal to #RaisetheWage to $12 by ‘20 [graphic or link]

Today’s tipped minimum wage is frozen at $2.13, pushing about 46% of tipped workers to receive federal assistance #12by2020 [graphic or link]

The #12by2020 proposal gradually phases out the tipped min wage, giving tipped workers much-needed economic stability. [graphic or link]

FACT: Working full time at the current min wage of $7.25 per hour leaves a family of 2 below the federal poverty line. [graphic or link]

In our country, no one who works hard in a full-time job should have to live in poverty. #12by2020 [[graphic or link]

Raising the minimum wage would help ensure our economy works for all families, not just the wealthiest few #12by2020 [graphic or link]

Graphics from NELP and EPI: