In 2015, Johnson County workers won a long-overdue, historic minimum wage increase when the Johnson County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved raising the minimum wage in three steps: to $8.20 in November 2015; $9.15 on May 1, 2016, and $10.10 on January 1, 2017. After years of inaction from Congress, County Supervisors joined 29 states and dozens of other cities and counties in taking necessary action to address the growing crisis poverty wages are causing for Iowa families, schools, social services, and local economies.
By 2017 when the state legislature banned local minimum wage increases, three other Iowa counties had followed Johnson County’s lead and were poised to raise wages for tens of thousands more working Iowans. CWJ has since led efforts to maintain the Johnson County increase by seeking commitments from employers to voluntarily honor the $10.10 minimum wage. Over 160 Johnson County businesses have so far pledged to maintain the higher wage, with many now proudly displaying signs in support of the higher minimum.
Iowa’s current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour translates to $15,080 for a full-time, year-round worker, not enough to meet an individual’s basic needs in any Iowa community, much less support a family. Iowa’s minimum wage was last increased on January 1, 2008, meaning Iowa minimum wage workers have not had a raise in a full decade.
“This report is the latest milestone in our ongoing community campaign to achieve living wages for all workers. Two years ago, Johnson County residents came together to demonstrate broad community support for increasing the minimum wage. Data in the county’s new report backs up what workers and employers alike have experienced since 2015: raising wages is good for families, for business, and for our local economy. In 2018, we’ll continue urging more Johnson County employers to join the over 160 businesses who have already pledged to uphold our community wage standard of $10.10. The Iowa legislature attacked workers in 2017 by making local wage increases illegal and trying to lower the wages of 65,000 Iowa workers. But they can’t stop our local progress or keep our community from coming together to raise wages and strengthen our economy.” Rafael Morataya Executive Director of Center for Worker Justice
Read the Minimum Wage Report on this link
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