NJ Working Families praises minimum wage deal

NJ Working Families Alliance Executive Director Analilia Mejia on Thursday praised the $15/hour minimum wage deal reached by Gov. Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.

“This is a huge victory for close to million New Jerseyans who will now be able to cover the basics and support their families. We commend Gov. Murphy and legislative leadership for taking action and securing greater economic justice for scores of New Jersey’s working families,” Mejia said. “This is a win-win for workers and the economy as a whole, as working families will have more money in their pockets to buy goods and services at New Jersey businesses.”

Under the deal, the minimum wage would increase to $10 an hour in July. It would climb to $11 an hour by Jan. 1, 2020, and would then climb by $1 every year until reaching $15 an hour in 2024.

Seasonal and part-time workers would reach $15 an hour in 2026.