Despite Obama’s attempts to raise the minimum wage in the United States, Congress has stalled his efforts. However, the President plans to use his executive powers so as to deal with this problem, if only partially, and in particular for federal contractors.
Speaking at a public event, and in raising the “income inequality” issue once more, Obama said, “America is getting stronger, and we’ve made progress. And the economy is growing, and we’ve got to do more to make sure that all Americans share in that growth. We’ve got to help our businesses create more jobs. We’ve got to make sure those jobs offer the wages and benefits that let families rebuild a little security. In other words, we’ve got to make sure that this recovery leaves nobody behind.”
This action taken will ensure that no worker is paid less than $10.10 an hour even those in occupations such as kitchen and laundry workers as well as janitors and construction workers as well.
Of course, this action will only apply to new contract so that contractors will have time to review requirements in terms of time as they are involved in future bids.
That said, Boehner, the House Speaker spoke up against the President’s action by mentioning that the President’s job is to execute the laws that are made by Congress.
Yet this doesn’t come as a surprise as Obama’s agenda for his second term are the issues of wages and economic inequality.