Advocates rally for local control of minimum wage in Pa.

SCRANTON — Action Together NEPA and SEIU Healthcare PA were joined by Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, Sen. Marty Flynn and Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski on Thursday to demand local control over the minimum wage.

“What worker does not want to be respected, protected, and paid,” asked Keisha Williams, a nursing home worker and SEIU member.

It was a sentiment that echoed throughout Thursday’s minimum wage preemption press conference.

When lawmakers last lifted the Pennsylvania minimum wage in 2006, they also “preempted” local minimum wage increases. This meant that only the state legislature could enact a minimum wage increase, and that local governments — from Erie to Philadelphia and everywhere in between — were barred from doing so.

The speakers at Thursday’s event said this takes away the voice of local governments, along with citizens, both as voters and residents.

Ending the practice, Mayor Paige Cognetti explained, gives local officials the ability “to tailor the minimum wage to what is healthy for their economy, workers, and businesses.”

Sen. Flynn, D-Scranton, said Pennsylvania’s current minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is “not sustainable,” and it is lower than any of our neighboring states.

Flynn shared with attendees that he expects the Pennsylvania General Assembly to take up legislation to address the issue in the next few months.

After 17 years, a raise is long overdue, said Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre. He pointed to the positive impact Chewy has had on local wages since the company opened a distribution center in southern Luzerne County in 2017.

Chewy’s starting salary of $9.30 was a dollar higher than other local employers and led them to raise wages in order to retain employees.

“We need your help,” Pashinski said, urging supporters to call their state representative and senator to voice their support for a living wage.

Action Together NEPA Executive Director Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich, called for long term impactful change

“We applaud Gov. (Josh) Shapiro for refocusing the legislature’s attention on the need to raise the minimum wage to $15,” she said. “But raising the wage is a one time move. To avoid another 17 years of inaction, state legislators should also allow Pennsylvania’s local governments to consider their own minimum wage hikes.”