The new minimum wage for fast food workers in California will be raised from $15.50 an hour to $20.00 in the spring of 2024.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the new wage in Sep. 2023 and will be in effect starting on April 1, 2024. This is one of Newsom’s efforts to improve the quality of life of workers by improving wages and working conditions.
The cost of living is at an all-time high. This includes expenses such as housing, food, healthcare, education, and transportation and California is one of the most expensive out of all 50 states. As the cost of living continues to rise, it has become increasingly difficult for California residents to make ends meet with their current wages. The wage increase can alleviate some of the financial burden that workers are facing and improve their quality of life.
In 2023, numerous protests and strikes were demanding higher wages for fast food workers all over the country. Some of them included the rallying in San Jose in Aug., a one-day walkout in Southern California in Nov., and strikes throughout the year. This pressured the California government to raise wages to satisfy its residents.
This change in wage would not only benefit fast food workers who are adults but also students statewide.
“I am able to afford more things with the wage increase. There has been a lot of inflation and it is very noticeable,” said Kyler Jeong (12).
Students nowadays are sometimes partially financially independent meaning that they must pay for entertainment and food for themselves. However, with inflation, students need to cut back on expenses. There are also cases where students need to save up for college tuition or need to support their education. This along with additional expenses could be too much for a full-time student to handle and in extreme cases, students need to miss school to earn money. With the wage increase, this issue can be alleviated to allow more students to be able to focus on school rather than their living situation.
“As a parent, I am happy that my kids are able to get a raise in their jobs so that they can spend money without the need to ask me. This puts less of a stress on me too,” said an anonymous parent of a student at Aliso Niguel High School.
As the pandemic hit back in 2020, the economy of America has still not recovered even though it is slowly rising. During those times, many families were struggling to live without jobs, low-paying jobs, or being laid off. The aftereffects are still felt today in families nationwide. With the pay raise, students who already have jobs can help with their families and have some sort of financial stability.
