
Rep. Roy Takumi: Workers deserve a (barely) living wage
It would raise the living standards for women, the elderly, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders who are disproportionately in low-wage jobs.

Hawaiʻi Democrats must raise minimum wage
All Hawaiʻi workers should be able to make ends meet with one job, and it’s our legislature’s responsibility to make that a reality.

Minimum wage has stayed at $10.10 for 4 years. With high inflation, will lawmakers make any changes?
The latest state data show a single adult would need to make about $17 to $18 an hour at a full-time job to afford to live in Hawaiʻi.

Dark clouds are looming over Hawaiʻi even as the economy appears to be improving
Economic experts say many people are worse off than they were before the pandemic and a lower unemployment rate is simply masking deeper problems.

Proposal to raise Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage to $12 remains alive
Many who wrote testimony in support of the wage increase called for an amendment to raise the hourly minimum to $17 by 2026.

‘They take the early bus … for us’
The moral and civic renewal we need requires a radical reframing of the terms of economic debate. Our economic foundations must be centered around people—not markets.

Minimum wage hikes have had little long-lasting effect on business
Most companies already pay above minimum wage and those that have had to raise pay came through it relatively unscathed.

Hawaiʻi losing out because of low wage jobs
Having our workers available at a discount is a losing business strategy for the state and our residents, costing us billions each year.