Jul 19

Jul 19 NY-22 Minute: Brindisi Votes Against Raising Minimum Wage By Luke Perry

Rep. Brindisi was one of just six Democrats to vote against the Raise the Wage Act, which raises the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 has not increased since 2009. The current wage amounts to $15,000 a year with a 40 hour work week, $10,000 below the poverty line for a family of four.

The “Fight for 15” began in 2012 with New York City fast food workers. This cause has been increasingly championed by Democrats, becoming part of the national party platform in 2016, and supported by many current presidential candidates.

Nancy Pelosi described the moment as a “historic day” in advancing “fairness in the workplace” and women’s equality. The vote coincided with the anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention.

“This bill achieves equality, giving nearly 20 million working women, that is nearly one-third of all working women, a raise,” Pelosi said, “and it helps narrow the gender wage gap that disproportionately targets women of color, putting more money in the pockets of more than one-third of working women of color.”

In a statement, Rep. Brindisi stressed the importance of “Congress working together to give millions of hardworking Americans a raise,” though believes “this approach is not right for Upstate New York.”

Brindisi contends the bill’s “one-size-fits-all approach” would require NY-22 to adopt minimum wage levels from “high cost cities,” such as New York and San Francisco.

30 states currently have minimum wages that exceed the national level. Seven states have already passed a $15 per hour minimum wage, including large states with substantial urban and rural populations, and disparate local economies and incomes, such as California and Illinois.

Brindisi’s statement referenced a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate that 1.3 million people could lose their jobs as a result of the legislation and how “this bill is dead on arrival at Mitch McConnell’s desk,” so “we need to find a compromise that will get to the president’s desk.”

The CBO also estimated that wages would increase for 17 million workers and 1.3 million people would be raised out of poverty.

Many bills passed by the Democratic-controlled House have little chance of being taken up by the Republican-controlled Senate, particularly during a presidential election cycle. This includes most of the bills Brindisi has voted for.

Brindisi’s statement concludes by referencing his work in the State Assembly crafting a “wage increase for New York that took into account regional differences.” What works for a steakhouse in Manhattan, Brindisi explained, is not the same as Binghamton, so he will “always put upstate New York first.”

Federal law, by its nature, is more focused on developing national standards than addressing regional differences. Framing the end of his statement in terms of “work” raises the question of why restaurant workers in Binghamton deserve less pay for the same job based on residency.

Brindisi may be trying to cultivate a pro-business persona as business owners generally oppose raising the minimum wage, though this could create tension with union support. The AFL-CIO endorsed Brindisi in 2018, in part because of his willingness to “fight for fair wages” and support “raising the minimum wage.”

Another consideration is retaining his Independence Party endorsement. This was an early focus during Brindisi’s 2018 campaign and a pivotal advantage in a close race against incumbent Claudia Tenney.

Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College

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