During Thursday night's City Council meeting councilmembers introduced legislation asking the state lawmakers to allow Philadelphia to set its own minimum wage.
The bill notes that, back in 2019, Philadelphians "overwhelmingly supported a $15 per hour minimum wage for City workers and contractors by 2025."
It was introduced by Democratic councilmembers Jim Harrity, at-large, and Michael Driscoll, District 6. In discussing the proposal, Harrity called minimum wage a "human right."
"Minimum wage is more than just a labor issue. It's a human right to earn a decent living to provide [for] themselves and their families," Harrity said.
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Harrity told members of council that state legislators have let down Philadelphians by not increasing Pennsylvania's minimum wage beyond $7.25 an hour for the past 14 years.
"It is up to us, as representatives of what is the poorest big city in the country, to stand up for Philadelphians and demand higher wages," Harrity said.
Pennsylvania has the lowest minimum wage of any of its neighboring states. New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware all have a minimum wages over $10 an hour.
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No state in the country has a lower minimum wage.
During this week's council meeting, Harrity noted that -- when adjusted to consider cost of living expenses -- the "real" value of the state's minimum wage is just $6.69 an hour.
However, City Council can't do this alone.
If approved, the resolution would urge elected officials in Harrisburg to introduce legislation that would permit the city to set its own minimum wage.
A final vote is expected at next week's City Council meeting.
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