S. This
isn't just teenagers in part-time jobs, but people trying to raise a family.15.

(2) The monthly Unemployment Rate is based on the Current Population
Survey (CPS).

priorities escalation

Yet wages for the same jobs vary
wildly from city to city, and workers find themselves fighting to keep
important benefits like health care and retirement plans, as well as their
right to organize a union. Change
to Win affiliates include the Laborers' International Union of North America,
the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, UNITE HERE!, the Service Employees
International Union, the United Food and Commercial Workers, the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, and the United Farm Workers.
"Our economy showed strong and consistent job growth in 2005," Governor
Rendell said. "In the past 12 months we've added more than 64,000 jobs. Professional and business services, education and health
services, and leisure and hospitality sectors posted record-high job counts of
655,400, 1,028,000, and 493,200 respectively.15 per hour," Governor
Rendell said.governor.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Pennsylvania Department of Labor + Industry today
released "Pennsylvania's Employment Situation: December 2005.

subcommittee adjusted

economist livable

fairness economist

Effort is Part of First Federation-wide Effort to Make Work Pay

WASHINGTON, Hundreds of room attendants,
carpenters, laborers, Teamsters , janitors, health workers and other members of
the seven Change to Win unions, are taking to the streets and sidewalks of our
nation this week to tell the biggest hotel chains that it's time to make hard
work pay. "Labor economists estimate
that for every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage rate, employment among
those affected drops by five percent."
Currently, Michigan is one of 28 states that has a minimum wage rate the
same as the federal government. Rendell today
announced that the number of jobs in Pennsylvania grew for the 10th
consecutive month in December to a new record high. I am confident that with our continued investments that leverage
private-sector funding , the economic expansion of 2005 will continue through
2006."
Pennsylvania's job growth in December was especially strong in
service-providing industries, where three sectors set or matched record-high
job counts.

The minimum wage is the lowest legal wage paid to workers in certain categories .

In other countries, minimum wages (by the day or month as well as the hour) can be the result of labor negotiations as well as legislation.

escalation violent

Change to Win, a new labor federation of unions representing nearly six
million workers, is dedicated to helping the tens of millions of hardworking
people who struggle to make ends meet to achieve the American dream.Job Count Continues to Rise, Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.

"The December job count and employment statistics confirm that our economy
is strong enough to support this modest increase in the minimum wage,"
Governor Rendell said, noting that neighboring states already have rates
higher than $5.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics , reaching about 2,500 households in Pennsylvania.

CONTACT: Kate Philips of the Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,
+1-717-783-1116 or Barry Ciccocioppo, +1-717-787-7530 (L+I).

livable arguments

15
an hour .
"This proposal is a job killer," said Wendy Hofmeyer, Director of Health
Policy + Human Resources for the Michigan Chamber.15 per hour -- a 38 percent increase -- would place Michigan among the
highest minimum wage rate states in the nation. All of this is helping
to make Pennsylvania a more attractive place for companies to expand or set up
shop," the Governor said.

unemployment mackinac

17.

minorities negotiations

This is not the time to be talking about proposals that
will result in a net loss of thousands of jobs and make it more difficult for
low wage workers to escape poverty," Hofmeyer concluded.

Governor Rendell Says Pennsylvania Job Growth Strong Throughout 2005

Actually, people who work 40 hours a week
earning minimum wage make $2,100 less than the federal poverty level for a
family of two. It
is a monthly household survey conducted by the U.

, minimum hourly wages are set by the federal government and by the states.

priorities increases

Hotel companies such as Starwood and
Hilton are present in every major city, and employ a significant percentage of
the full service hotel workers in the U.

25 an hour and raise it to $7.
"Raising the minimum wage will directly benefit 423,000 Pennsylvanians -
men and women who work in every county and every part of our state.

unemployment unskilled

, Raising the state minimum wage
will increase the cost of doing business in Michigan and reduce low-skill,
low-paying jobs in the state , the Michigan Chamber of Commerce announced today
in response to a legislative proposal unveiled by House and Senate Democratic
lawmakers to hike the state minimum wage to $7.15 per hour and tie future
increases to the rate of inflation. Michigan's minimum wage rate is now $5.9 percent.

negotiations partly

Change to Win Unions Mobilize at More Than 100 Hotels in Support of Hotel Workers Rising Campaign

"In the past three weeks alone, I have traveled around the state to
announce partnerships with businesses that will retain and create more than
4,000 jobs.

(1) The monthly Nonfarm Job Count is based on the Current Employment
Statistics (CES), also known as "payroll," survey and is the source
of nonfarm jobs data by industry. This
survey counts how many people are employed, regardless of how many
jobs they are actually working.

In the U.

escalation unemployment

3 million workers in the hotel industry, which is
growing rapidly and is more profitable than ever.

Proposed Minimum Wage Hike 'A Job Killer ' Says Michigan Chamber of Commerce

The latest statewide jobs report shows Pennsylvania's job count(1) rose to
5,730,300 in December, the fourth consecutive month the job count hit a new
peak.
"The cost of food, heat, clothing, shelter and other basic necessities has
increased steadily, but minimum wage workers in Pennsylvania haven't seen a
pay raise in nearly nine years.

minorities livable

Still, the median hourly
wage for a hotel housekeeper is $8. Department of Labor figures show thousands of Pennsylvanians are
still earning the federally mandated minimum wage of $5.us.

livable earnings

The mobilization is part of the Hotel Workers Rising Campaign, which was
launched February 15-18 in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.S. To find out
more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly
newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www .pa.

result wage

"
There are currently 1. LANSING, Mich., Governor Edward G.
The fact is that seven out of 10 low-wage workers are age 20 or older.

The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public
education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities and businesses.

mackinac deserve

The campaign has now moved across North America and will continue
indefinitely.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate(2 ) in December dropped two
tenths of a percentage point to 4.

fairness adjusted

"The members of all of the Change to Win unions have come together to
support the hardworking men and women in the hotel industry and we will not
rest until they receive the living wages and basic benefits they deserve.15 by 2007, with a cost of living increase
afterwards. It is a monthly survey of
employers conducted by L+I's Center for Workforce Information and
Analysis, reaching about 18,000 businesses .

lowest priorities

The Michigan Chamber is a statewide business organization which represents
more than 6,500 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce.
"Every week we are making investments that are revitalizing and changing
the face of our communities, helping our businesses to grow and remain
competitive, and preparing our workers for the future.state.

livable increases

9 Percent at Year's
End

HARRISBURG, Pa. The unemployment rate is down by
eight -tenths of a percentage point from a year ago and there are 51,000 fewer
unemployed people today than in December 2004.

decades adjusted

Increasing Michigan's minimum wage to
$7.
"Michigan continues to lag behind the rest of the nation in job growth and
economic recovery.
"The only shadow cast on this great news is the fact that recently
released U.

S.

partly arguing

Union members are leafleting outside more than 100 non-union Hilton and
Starwood properties in 60 cities, to let guests know that the hardworking
people who keep these luxury hotels running are working for poverty wages, and
in many cases, without benefits.
The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan's
job providers in the legislative, political and legal process. This data may include
multiple jobs held by a single individual.

unskilled arguing

"It is for these working-poor people that I am continuing to push
legislators to act now and immediately increase the state's minimum wage to
$6." To receive a
copy call: 717-787-7530. CPS, also known as "household" survey, data is the
primary source of Civilian Labor Force and Employment statistics.

wages decades

"We know that when six million voices are raised together to send a
message -- that message will be heard," said Anna Burger, Chair of Change to
Win.

wage economist

This isn't fair and it isn't right.