We, the undersigned, call upon the United States Congress and the President to take immediate and decisive action to address the worsening economic crisis facing working-class Americans. 

Demand for a $20 Federal Minimum Wage
We, the undersigned, demand that the United States Congress and the President take immediate and decisive action to raise the federal minimum wage to $20 per hour. The current wage of $7.25, unchanged since 2009, is a national disgrace. It is economically unsustainable, morally indefensible, and a direct assault on the dignity of working people.

The Reality: Wages Are Not Keeping Up
While the cost of living has skyrocketed—driven by inflation, housing shortages, healthcare costs, and tariffs—wages have stagnated. Millions of full-time workers cannot afford food, rent, or medical care. This is not a policy oversight. It is a systemic failure to ensure that work pays enough to live.

This Is a Human Rights Violation
According to Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, every person has the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being—including food, housing, and medical care. When wages fall short of covering these essentials, that right is denied.

Article 22 further guarantees the right to economic dignity. Forcing workers to choose between rent and food, or between medicine and transportation, is a violation of that dignity. It is unacceptable in a nation that claims to value freedom and opportunity.

The American Promise Is Broken
A decent quality of life means more than survival. It means the ability to live with dignity, raise a family, and plan for the future. A $20 minimum wage would restore this promise. It would allow workers to afford housing, reduce homelessness, and eliminate the impossible trade-offs that define life on poverty wages.

This is not just economic policy—it is a moral imperative. A strong America is one where prosperity is shared, not hoarded by the wealthy few.

The Current Administration Has Failed to Deliver
Since returning to office in 2025, the Trump administration has implemented policies that have done nothing to raise incomes. Deregulating housing, rolling back protections, and imposing tariffs have only increased costs for working families. These actions have ignored the core issue: wages are too low.

Who Is Suffering?
Low-wage workers across the country—especially in retail, food service, and healthcare—are being crushed by rising prices. In states that follow the federal minimum, $7.25/hour is not just inadequate—it’s exploitative. These workers often hold multiple jobs and still live below the poverty line. The burden is heaviest in urban areas and among communities of color, where wage stagnation deepens generational inequality.

What’s at Stake?
If Congress fails to act, the wage gap will continue to widen. More families will fall into poverty. More workers will rely on public assistance. Consumer spending—the engine of our economy—will weaken. But raising the minimum wage to $20/hour would lift millions out of poverty, reduce inequality, and inject billions into local economies.

The Time to Act Is Now
Inflation is still high. Tariffs are driving up prices. Workers need relief now—not in five years, not after another study. A $20 minimum wage would provide immediate, tangible support to those hit hardest by economic shocks. Arguments that wage increases cause inflation ignore the reality: low-income workers are already paying the price for inaction.

The Facts Are Clear

A full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour earns just $1,257/month before taxes. In contrast, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Massachusetts is $2,554/month —more than double their entire monthly income. 

Even at $20/hour, a full-time worker earns about $3,467/month before taxes, which finally brings rent within reach—though still tight when factoring in food, transportation, healthcare, and other essentials.

To move into a modest apartment in Massachusetts, renters are typically required to pay:

First month’s rent
Last month’s rent
Security deposit
Broker’s fee (though this is being phased out)
At $2,554/month, that’s $10,216 upfront—nearly 10 months of gross income for a minimum wage worker.

This is not just unaffordable. It is inhumane.

 

We are not asking for luxury—we are demanding dignity.

No one working full-time should be homeless, hungry, or hopeless. Yet in Massachusetts and across the country, workers earning the federal minimum wage are being priced out of their homes, their health, and their futures. The system is not broken—it is working exactly as designed: to keep the working class struggling while the cost of living climbs and wages stand still.

Raising the federal minimum wage to $20/hour is not radical—it’s rational. It’s the bare minimum for survival, not a path to wealth. Capping rent at 30% of that wage is not a handout—it’s a lifeline. And holding institutions accountable for every dollar of public support is not excessive—it’s essential.

We are done waiting. We are done surviving. We demand to live.