The Fight for a Living Wage in Hawaii

Apr 3

Apr 3 The call for a living wage

Raising the minimum wage is about dignity and it is about justice. It is clear from more than a century of Catholic teaching that labor is at the heart of the social question, at the heart of human dignity.

Apr 3

Apr 3 The link between low wages and high housing costs

Charles P. Wathen

Living Wage

There are two sides to the affordable housing problem. One is building more units and the other is the low income of our residents.

Mar 31

Mar 31 Livable wage can sustain our economy

Kim Coco Iwamoto

Living Wage

At $10.10 an hour, our low-income workers clearly do not have enough to buy food and pay rent—in short, to be “self-sufficient.”

Mar 29

Mar 29 Senate committee approves plan to hike minimum wage for Hawaiʻi workers, state employees

Sophie Cocke

Legislation

Increasing the minimum wage is a priority for the Hawaiʻi Democratic Party, which passed a resolution last year advocating for a living wage in Hawaiʻi.

Mar 26

Mar 26 Hawaiʻi’s workers need living wages

Raymond Catania

Legislation

The Hawaiʻi legislature will soon decide on two minimum wage bills, SB789 SD2 and HB1191 HD1. These bills should be supported, but with amendments that reflect Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living. Both should have a $17 minimum wage.

Mar 14

Mar 14 Advocates urge larger minimum wage hike

Michael Brestovansky

Legislation

During previous hearings in the House, the bill received significant opposition from business interests, but substantially more support from others. Supporters cited research that increases to minimum wage does not substantially harm businesses—often quite the contrary.

Mar 14

Mar 14 Locals argue for higher wages

The Garden Island Staff

Living Wage

“Wages have just not kept up with the cost of living. Even with the last increase to $10.10, I see more and more people becoming homeless because they cannot afford a place to stay.”

Mar 13

Mar 13 Big Island advocates ask legislators to support living wage

Big Island Now Staff

Living Wage

From childcare to college, Hawaiʻi Island advocates Jennifer Kagiwada and George Donev told lawmakers that a living wage will transform the community.

Mar 12

Mar 12 Wage increase advocates rally for support at legislature

Will Caron

Living Wage

Advocates are asking legislators to enact a living wage that keeps up with the high cost of living in what is effectively the most expensive state in the nation.