The U.S. Chamber, climate, and the federal minimum wage
by Nolan George, June 21, 2021
For working families squeezed by low wages, climate action can seem like a luxury our society cannot afford.
For working families squeezed by low wages, climate action can seem like a luxury our society cannot afford. The U.S. Chamber has always opposed raises to the federal minimum wage. The transition to a sustainable economy requires all hands on deck. However, it is unrealistic to expect support for science-based climate action from the working families if minimum wage rates are lower than liveable rates in numerous places across the country. Evidence toward this unfortunate reality can be seen through the MIT living wage calculator. For example, in Atlanta, GA, 1 adult with no children would require a living wage of $16.56. In Santa Clara, CA, the same adult requires a $27.29 living wage. That adult in Detroit, MI, needs a $13.79 living wage. Furthermore, nearly every place around the U.S. requires a living wage higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25. This may lead to individuals wondering why the federal minimum wage has not been raised in over 10 years. There is no exact answer to this question; however, lobbying efforts from organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is definitely part of the answer.
In recent years The Chamber has been very vocal in their fight against raising the minimum wage. In particular, The Chamber has voiced opposition to H.R. 538, a bill aimed at raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. They initially published articles on their website in 2019 voicing opposition to the bill. Furthermore, they criticized the bill again after it failed to pass the senate. As stated above, $15 dollars an hour will not cover living wages in certain areas around the country for a single adult. But, even so, The Chamber thinks it is way too much money for individuals to make. It is clear to see from the actions of The Chamber, that they do not stand with working families. Instead, The Chamber has proved yet again they are more fixated on profit generating corporations. This approach reinforces The Chambers shareholder capitalism philosophy that is obsessed with profit and disregards the health of workers and the planet. Furthermore, shareholder capitalism boosts income inequality. Income inequality has been a big problem in the U.S. and has grown into a larger problem in recent years thanks in part to actions of The Chamber.
Simply put, In the United States, the income gap between the super rich and everyone else has been growing markedly, by every major statistical measure, for more than 30 years. What does this mean in terms of addressing the climate crisis? Well, it means that low-income people are having less and less extra money to spend on things outside of essential items. This creates a reality where low-income individuals are unable to afford upfront costs necessary to install renewable energy sources or to live low-waste lifestyles. On the other hand, the small numbered wealthy individuals do have enough money to install renewable energy sources and live low-waste lifestyles but that does not matter if the majority of people are unable to do so. Shareholder capitalism is a dated philosophy that only promotes profit generation for the few and does nothing to promote a sustainable future. In a reality where climate change is already affecting mass amounts of people all over the world, promoting eco-friendly and sustainable practices has never been of more importance. Through its efforts to disallow raising the federal minimum wage The U.S. The Chamber of Commerce has again shown it values profits of big corporations over sustainability. This mindset is dated, selfish, as well as unsustainable and shows yet another reason why we must change the chamber.