Thousands of workers in Illinois should earn a "livable wage," not a minimum wage. That was the message today at news conferences in the Quad Cities and around the state, organized by the Raise Illinois coalition, on the eve of the General Assembly's veto session.
Currently the state minimum is $8.25 an hour, and their goal is $10.
In Rock Island, Mike Malmstrom, director of Bridging the Gap for Homeless Veterans, says many people who leave the military can only find minimum wage jobs.
Malmstrom says raising the minimum wage would show respect for veterans who've put their lives on the line for us.
26 year old Carrie Hanzal lives in Rock Island with her parents, drives a 14 year old car, goes to college, and works at a grocery store.
Earlier this month, 67 per cent of Illinois voters supported an advisory referendum on raising the minimum wage, winning a majority in 83 of 102 counties. Backers call that a "mandate" for action by the General Assembly.
