American workers have been rallying towards the increase of income, salary and wages since 2014. Although the Federal Reserve has reported that there has been a steady increase in hourly wages, some still feel that it could get better. Previously, JobsNHire reported that 2016 is the year the job market has been waiting for after the 2008 recession.
However, workers still rallied in Los Angeles on Apr. 4, 2016. According to USAToday, the increase to $15 per hour wages will help strengthen the local industry by helping American employees and their families climb the economic ladder. But there are still those that oppose the wage increase - these businesses feel that regional wages are better. The reality in California is grim because the cost of living in that state is higher compared to the other regions in the United States. That's why it's impossible for a minimum wage worker to get by on the state's current wage of $10 - less than $21,000 a year - whether they live in Los Angeles or Fresno.
According to a report from Berkley, 90% of minimum wage American workers are above 20 years old. The report found that 30% of these minimum wage workers are parents. This further indicates that living on minimum wage with a family is not feasible when residing in California.
Those who oppose the wage increase opt for a regional minimum wage instead. However, regional minimum wages can be problematic. USA Today goes on to report that California businesses will need ample time to adjust when the stated does decided to transition into higher wages. More than 5 million Californians will benefit from this wage increase and "...It recognizes that a minimum wage worker in Fresno is just as valuable as a worker in San Francisco."