Supporters rally to raise minimum wage to $18 as bill advances back to House
At a Labor for Living Wages rally at the Hawai’i State Capitol on Wednesday, Kona Rep. Jeanne Kapela said current wages cannot begin to satisfy the state’s highest cost-of-living standards in the nation.
Standing for $18 minimum wage
This demonstration comes after the state House pivoted away from the original minimum-wage proposal, Senate Bill 2018, that would have incrementally increased the minimum wage to $18 an hour by 2026.
Pros and cons of raising Hawaiʻi's minimum wage
What can you buy for $10? Two gallons of unleaded gas... a gallon of milk? It's not enough for a plate lunch anymore… maybe a mini if you're lucky. You may have to settle for a few musubi. That’s how far $10 goes these days. Not far at all.
Raise wages, workers’ living standards, enhance public health
Now more than ever, we see that wage levels in Hawaiʻi need to be raised substantially to improve workers’ living standards and safeguard the public’s health.
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.
House must act on living wage: Our keiki deserve to thrive
Our representatives need to give us some hope that we can prosper here. That our keiki can prosper here. Raise the minimum wage.
How a living wage would help lots of Hawaiʻi workers
More than half of the children in the state have a parent earning below $17 per hour.
Fight for $15: Lawmakers fail our ʻohana on wages
How much harder for those working minimum-wage jobs in Hawaiʻi, who had every right to expect their elected leaders to address their needs?
Saiki, House leave local workers worse off
Saiki could have written two lines that synthesized his entire commentary: “The Chamber of Commerce, which funds my campaign, didn’t want me to pass a living minimum wage for the people of Hawaiʻi. So I didn’t.”
‘Republicrats’ failed workers by not raising minimum wage
The leadership of the House of Representatives let our workers down: they include Scott Saiki, Mark Nakashima, Della Au Belatti, Dee Morikawa, Tom Brower, Aaron Johanson and Sylvia Luke.
Hawaiʻi’s people suffer while legislators fail to pass meaningful bills
People are dying. Real people are really dying. Let’s vote for some real change in 2020, shall we?
Sine Die—my take on the 2019 session
Our state legislature, dominated by lawmakers who were elected under the flag of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, refused to pass legislation increasing the minimum wage, a top legislative priority of their own party.
Legislature did nothing to deserve pay raise
Our legislators should be embarrassed. Instead they are going to receive pay raises they don’t deserve.
‘Democratic’ lawmakers fail to pass living wage
One lawmaker reportedly called the outcome “bittersweet.” No, it was just bitter.
Lawmakers reject minimum wage increase
In a development that derailed one of the top priorities of the Hawaiʻi Democratic Party for this year, House and Senate negotiators gave up on the idea of passing an increase in the $10.10-per-hour state minimum wage this year.
Raise Up Hawaiʻi comments on deferment of minimum wage increase
In a press release, the coalition said it is “deeply disappointed” that the legislature failed to increase the minimum wage this year.
A flurry of deal-making at the Hawaiʻi legislature as end of session looms
Hawaiʻi lawmakers have pushed back a decision on increasing the state’s minimum wage until Friday, the last day of conference committee to keep bills alive for the 2019 session.
Enact living wage to boost keiki health
As a doctor I see the price too many children pay in the form of ailments that can be traced to poverty. I urge lawmakers to enact a real living wage to help my most vulnerable patients have a better shot at life.