A tentative agreement has been reached between the city of Philadelphia and District Council 33, ending a week-long strike impacting city services. The deal offers workers a 3% raise over each of the next three years, with half receiving an additional 2% raise, and includes a total pay bump of 14% over the mayor’s four-year term. The agreement will allow residential trash collection to resume, with other services such as pools, libraries, and recreation centers returning to normal, while the union members must still ratify the agreement.
Read More
Democrats have unveiled new legislation proposing a significant increase to the federal minimum wage, aiming to raise it to $17 per hour. This move, while seemingly straightforward, immediately sparks a flurry of reactions, highlighting the deeply ingrained political and economic divisions surrounding this issue.
The proposed $17 minimum wage is met with a mixture of cautious optimism and outright skepticism. Some see it as a necessary step towards a more just and equitable economy, arguing that the current minimum wage is simply not a livable income in many parts of the country. They contend that increasing purchasing power for lower-income individuals will stimulate the economy, similar to the effects observed with stimulus packages, albeit in a more targeted and sustained manner.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood