Burgess Owens: “This incident is just one example of the fact that the Fair Labor Standards Act is flexible, the Fair Labor Standards…”

“This incident is just one example of the fact that the Fair Labor Standards Act is flexible, the Fair Labor Standards Act will yield to common sense after due deliberation. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, I might point out also, is enjoying its 60th anniversary today. The Fair Labor Standards Act was passed 60 years ago. It established the 40-hour week, overtime pay, the ban on child labor and the minimum wage. Today we celebrate an important day in American history, and on this day I think we should renew our effort to bring the minimum wage up to standard. The minimum wage now is $5.15 cents per hour, and that is still a poverty wage. It is a wage without opportunity or hope. As far as working people are concerned, the minimum wage still has not caught up with the years of inflation. We are still way behind in terms of buying power of the dollars that workers receive, so the minimum wage needs to be increased just to bring us one step closer to where the buying power of the dollar is today. I think it is only fitting and proper in a time of great prosperity that we increase the minimum wage. It is one way to share the prosperity and help us to guarantee the pursuit of happiness on a fair playing field for everybody. On this important anniversary of the minimum wage, let us recommit ourselves to create an opportunity for all working Americans.”