By EMILY DEMIRJIAN and MICHAEL PUGLIESE
Gov. Andrew Cuomo continued to fight for a $15 minimum wage Tuesday at a large rally at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. He has been traveling the state on a bus tour with elected officials and union leaders, which started in Manhattan at the beginning of March.
Cuomo is seeking to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018 in New York City, and by 2021 throughout the rest of New York State. He discussed the economic injustice that New Yorkers face at the large rally in Albany.
“You can’t live on $9 an hour and have a decent life,” Cuomo told the crowd of hundreds. “We want decent pay and then we want decent treatment.”
Many organizations were present at the event, including SEIU local 1199, NYSUT, and 32BJ SEIU labor union.
Along with fighting for an increased minimum wage, Cuomo is fighting for paid family leave for 12 weeks this session.
“People can’t afford to take 12 weeks and stay home without a paycheck,” Cuomo said. “That’s why 12 weeks of paid family leave restores decency and restores fairness.”
Cuomo included the higher minimum wage in his proposed 2016 budget.
Updated story coming soon.
