To me, this seems so basic that I’m frustrated it even needs to be said.

Also, the federal minimum wage should be tied to the cost of living index (or some other existing economic measure) and adjust itself automatically. People shouldn’t have to hope that Congress will decide to toss them a few crumbs. The federal minimum wage hasn’t increased since 2009, which is absurd.

Considering we (at least we up here in Canada) just spent two years telling everyone from store shelf stockers to cashier tellers that they are “essential”, then we should at bare minimum be giving them a wage that reflects that essential status: they should be able to comfortably afford the essentials of housing, healthy food, health care, and old-age security.

It’s depressing that this is even a topic of discussion, jobs should pay the actual living wage. Governments should not forced to subsidise substandard wages with working tax credit.