LANSING —  Democratic State Rep. Rashida Tlaib is urging Michigan residents to support a new bill which would increase minimum wage from $7.40 to $10.00 an hour within the next three years. 

The main sponsors of the legislation along with Tlaib, who represents Detroit, River Rouge and Ecorse, is John Switalksi, representative of Warren. They believe raising the minimum wage would narrow income inequality and give residents “a chance at a better life.” The bill would gradually increase wages over the next 3 years, and could help mitigate income inequality, which is on the rise in Michigan

But according to Tlaib, the bill has so far been strongly opposed by Republicans, and it may not make it too far if it doesn’t garner more support because they are currently the majority of the house.

“It was introduced and supported by a number of colleagues, but there was not any support on the other side of the aisle, and they are in the majority. They decide if there will be a committee hearing and if it can even go further than that to get a full house vote,” Tlaib told The Arab American News. 

Tlaib.

But Tlaib doesn’t want to give up hope on pushing the bill. She’s  part of a group called Mothering Justice, consisting of state reps who are moms and advocates for middle class families that are trying to support their children and  parents. Tlaib believes raising minimum wage will directly affect middle class families in positive ways.

“They are struggling to make ends meet and it’s because the price of milk (has) gone up, and the price of gas have gone up. Every important essential of goods and services that are needed for a family unit have gone up tremendously, but minimum wage has not,” Tlaib added. 

2008 was the last time minimum wage was raised in Michigan, and Tlaib believes because of inflation rates, now is the right time to propose an increase, or else families and college students are going to see continued, if not worse struggle in years to come. 

Tlaib, who comes from a Palestinian-American background and grew up in the Detroit-Dearborn area before going on to become the first American Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan Legislature, says increasing minimum wage would not only help with day-to-day costs, but it can also help get people out of debt. 

“I can tell you minimum wage helps millions of people. Even going to school is costing younger people more money, and families and children can’t afford it. That’s why a lot of students are graduating with debt and working with corporations where they are miserable at,” Tlaib added.  

While Tlaib is working on rallying up support for the bill in the Wayne County Detroit-Downriver areas, other advocates of the bill have emerged elsewhere. Oakland County Commissioner Dave Woodward is working on getting families on board with the proposal as well. 

Tlaib says it’s important for residents to get in contact with local representatives and senators to show support for the bill so a message is conveyed to Governor Rick Snyder and the Republican party. Unfortunately, party-line voting practices are still common in Lansing.

“We have a conservative house. They always take the extreme end of a lot of proposals which is very divisive and doesn’t create good partisanship, which is important to the middle class community. But I really believe Republicans can go up there and advocate with us on this. Everyone will see a benefit as many of those dollars that go into households will go back into local economy and help small businesses around the state. Our state can’t thrive unless we support middle class families,” Tlaib stated. 

But even if increasing minimum wage becomes a hard sell in Michigan, it seems efforts have also been taken on a national level. President Barack Obama recently proposed lifting the minimum wage to at least $9 an hour by 2016 in all states, up from the current $7.25.

Ralph Nader has also been an advocate in increasing minimum wage on a national level, but he believes Obama’s current proposal isn’t high enough. Nader supports a proposal by Florida State Rep. Alan Grayson that would raise minimum wage to $10.50. 

“It is long past time for minimum-wage workers to receive a raise. Had the federal minimum wage just kept pace with inflation since 1968, it would stand today at $10.67 per hour, not $7.25,” Nader told the Wall Street Journal.