MLK on poverty wages and unions

Thought-provoking article by Holly Sklar in TomPaine, discussing how for MLK, wages were considered a moral issue as well as an economic issue, and the he would be among the voices demanding Congress raise the federal minimum wage instead of just voting themselves pay raises.

As Sklar notes:

"Congress itself has taken eight pay raises since 1997, while denying fair pay for minimum wage workers. On Jan. 1, congressional pay quietly rose to $165,200—up $31,600 since 1997. And unlike minimum wage workers, members of Congress have good health benefits, pensions and perks."

Unchanged in eight years and adjusted for inflation, the federal minimum wage is less than it was in the 1960s, when King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. Supporting the cause of organized labor, in fact, was a centerpiece of MLK's civil rights campaign when he was assassinated. This would be a great issue for the Democrats to run with in this year's midterm elections. The GOP can stay with gay marriage if they want.

A good resource on the minimum wage is this briefing paper by the Economic Policy Institute.