New York state will gradually raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $15 an hour – the first time any state has set the minimum that high.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration formally approved the increase Thursday, a move the Democratic governor announced at a labor rally with Vice President Joe Biden. Cuomo said he would work to pass legislation setting a $15 minimum for all industries, a promise that comes as more and more cities around the country move toward a $15 minimum wage.
“Every working man and woman in the state of New York deserves $15 an hour,” the governor told the enthusiastic crowd of union members. “We’re not going to stop until we get it done.”
Biden predicted the $15 wage for fast-food workers would galvanize efforts across the country.