Elizabeth Warren Joins Bernie Sanders To Push For $17 Minimum Wage: 'Profits Can't Happen Without Workers'

On Sunday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) emphasized the importance of workers in corporate profitability and advocated for raising the minimum wage to $17 an hour. This call to action was earlier echoed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) who also expressed the urgency for Congress to act on this matter.

What Happened: Warren’s tweet read, “It’s time for companies to recognize that profits can’t happen without workers. And it’s time we raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour. I joined @SenSanders on a bill to make it happen.”

Sanders had previously tweeted, “IT'S TIME FOR $17: Join us in D.C. as we introduce legislation to raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour. It is time for Congress to act.”

Previously, Sanders had criticized Chipotle Mexican Gril for its corporate practices. He highlighted the company’s significant profit increase and the substantial pay raise given to its CEO, juxtaposing it with the minimal pay raise for minimum wage workers. Sanders labeled this not as inflation but as price gouging.

See Also: Biden to McDonald’s Workers: ‘You Are Victims of Power’

Why It Matters: The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009. However, a recent survey indicated that the average American believes they should earn $26 per hour to comfortably afford basic necessities.

This sentiment for a wage increase is shared across party lines, with Democrats, Independents, and even Republicans supporting the notion. Prominent corporations like Costco and Amazon.com have already implemented wage increases, signaling a shift in corporate perspectives on the matter.

While politicians like Sanders, Warren, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have been vocal about raising the minimum wage, there are opposing views from entities like the National Restaurant Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, emphasizing potential adverse effects on business growth.

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