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President Barack Obama recently signed an executive order requiring businesses with federal contracts to pay employees $10.10 an hour. He has also urged Congress to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour.
"They should make it $10 an hour," said John Brown as he waited for a train at the Port Chester station. He said that the current minimum wage of $7.25 is not enough. "You get your paycheck and you look at it and say,'Is that all there is?' "
He said that with expenses such as rent and utilities and buying food and clothes for his son, a minimum wage check is not sufficient to get by on.
"If you give me $10 an hour, I'll work all night. People have kids, they're not rich. This will be good for the people, and good for the kids. You can pay your rent, pay your light bill, buy something for your son and have money in your pocket to do something over the weekend."
Jose Lora said that he would also be in favor of an increase. He said that there's a possibility that it may lead to stores raising prices or companies not hiring as much, but thinks it will be good for the people who get pay increases.
"I think it should be more. That would be great, that would help out a lot of people," he said. He said that it could even be higher than $10.10 an hour, but that it was a good start. "That's almost what you get paid as a manager."
Yuri Sical said that it should be more that $10.10 an hour, but that a potential increase is a good start.
"Stores would raise their prices, probably," she said. "But that would help a lot of people out."
"I hope it works. If it doesn't, people are going to be in a lot of trouble. A lot of people are already working two jobs," Brown said.
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