If you work a 40-hour week (or more), you should not have to struggle to feed, clothe, and support yourself and your family. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has already passed a law that will implement a $15 minimum wage by 2023, and we should continue to adjust the minimum wage for future inflation so it is always a living wage. However, the minimum wage is not the only wage issue facing our workers today.

Workers are too often cheated out of their hard-earned wages when they work overtime or spend their breaks working. I strongly believe that workers must be paid for all work they do and that the legislature must take a strong stance against this wage theft. In addition, women and workers of color are still not paid the same amount as white men for the same work. Class, color, and creed have no place in determining a person’s income, and the Commonwealth cannot allow these discriminatory practices to continue. To combat these two issues, the legislature must immediately enact reforms to ensure all work is compensated and all workers are paid equally.

As the cost of living continues to increase, it's critical that all Massachusetts residents receive wages that will allow them to remain in their homes and communities. The Commonwealth must continue to support its workers and their families long into the future by fighting for fair wages for all.

As your State Representative, I will work to:

• Ensure that the minimum wage keeps up with inflation.

• Fight for a living wage for all Massachusetts workers.

• Implement systemic reforms to crack down on wage theft so that everyone is paid what they're owed.

• Continue to close the gender wage gap and advocate for equal pay for equal work.

• Combat wage discrimination and ensure all workers are paid equally.

On this issue, I am proud to be endorsed by:

• Massachusetts AFL-CIO

• Massachusetts & Northern New England Laborers' District Council