As the New York State Department of Labor considers a recommendation made by the Fast Food Wage Board to increase the minimum wage for fast food workers, Assemblymember Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, said caution is needed when considering a pay increase targeting one industry alone.
"While I am supportive of increasing New York's minimum wage to ensure no one working full-time lives in poverty, the Wage Board's unilateral increase targeting only one industry is not the appropriate way forward. Raising the minimum wage for fast food workers alone may create instability in New York's job market and is unfair to employers and employees in other fields," Russell said. "I supported legislation (A.7257) last year that would have increased the minimum wage across the state and tied future increases to the rate of inflation. I stand by my support of a living wage for all New Yorkers - not just for one industry - and I will continue to support workers in the years to come."