Group Pushes For $15 Hourly Minimum Wage In Massachusetts

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — A state senator was among nearly three dozen people arrested following a demonstration in Cambridge in support of a $15-per-hour minimum wage.

Raise Up Massachusetts said hundreds of workers and their supporters gathered outside of a Cambridge McDonald's restaurant Tuesday morning for what the group called an act of civil disobedience.

In Central Square, police said 36 people were arrested. Cambridge Police called these arrests "pre-planned."

A spokesman for state Sen. Jamie Eldridge says the Acton Democrat was among a group that sat down in the street.

The group also plans a Statehouse rally later Tuesday to call for hiking the state's hourly minimum wage

In 2014, the Legislature approved a bill to increase the state's minimum wage — then $8 an hour — to one of the highest in the nation over a three-year period. The final step, going from the current $10 to $11 an hour, occurs on Jan. 1.

The group plans to ask lawmakers during the next legislative session that starts in January to consider a similar bill, one that would raise the minimum wage incrementally over several years to $15 an hour, and also boost pay for tipped workers.

The events are part of a nationwide effort to bring attention to the plight of low-paid workers.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.