Giving in to a filibuster by the Republican minority, the U.S. Senate has abandoned the "clean" minimum wage bill that was approved by the House of Representatives on January 10th.
In place of it, the Senate on Feburary 1rst voted 94-3 to to pass a compromise bill that provides for a $2.10 raise in the minimum wage but, but also includes $8.3 billion in tax cuts to buisness. Later. 28 Senate Republicans even voted to repeal the minimum wage altogether.
Now congress must reconcile the two bills in a joint session, but as of press time, no date is set. Meanwhile, minimum wage workers continue to struggle to get by on $5.15 per hour.
Reprinted from Industrial Worker March 2007
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