Raise Up Hawai‘i Comments on Deferment of Minimum Wage Increase

The Hawai‘i Legislature’s recently deferred its decision to raise the minimum wage.

Raise Up Hawai‘i is “deeply disappointed” that the Legislature failed to increase the minimum wage this year, an April 27, 2019, press release from the coalition stated.

“Local families are often forced to work two or three jobs to survive because of our state’s exorbitant cost of living, effectively the highest in the nation. Not enacting a living wage this year only increases the urgency of doing so next year.

“Hawai‘i’s most economically vulnerable workers and their families, including thousands of children, will continue to suffer from the lack of a minimum wage that meets the state’s own self-sufficiency standard of $17 an hour—$10.10 an hour does not allow our families to meet basic needs, as evidenced by the suffering on the streets.

This statement was issued on behalf of the Raise Up Hawai‘i coalition that advocated for a living wage this legislative session.