Workers demand $30 minimum wage as cost of living surges in NYC
Labor leaders, elected officials and community advocates gathered on the steps of City Hall on March 10 to launch the “$30 for Our City” campaign, backing legislation that would gradually raise New York City’s minimum wage to $30 an hour.
The bill, introduced by Council Member Sandy Nurse, would nearly double the city’s current $17 hourly minimum and phase in the increase over several years, reaching $30 by 2030 for large employers.
Supporters say the proposal is a response to the city’s worsening affordability crisis, arguing that wages have failed to keep pace with the cost of living.
“Costs are up and wages are down, pushing New Yorkers out of our city,” organizers said in announcing the campaign. “Earning the minimum wage shouldn’t mean living in poverty.”
The push has drawn support from a broad coalition including The Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN), the Amazon Labor Union, Make the Road New York, New York Communities for Change, Teamsters Local 804 and the Workers Justice Project, along with several City Council members.
Under the proposal, companies with more than 500 employees would be required to pay workers at least $20 an hour by 2027 and reach $30 by 2030. Smaller employers would follow a slightly slower schedule, paying $21.50 by 2028 and reaching $30 by 2032. Future increases would then be tied to cost-of-living adjustments.
