AZ Workers Mobilize to Raise Minimum Wage

More than 125,000 Arizona workers could get a raise this year if labor unions and Democratic lawmakers are successful in their efforts to establish a statewide minimum wage. Arizona and five other states in the nation have no minimum wage laws and thus follow the federal rate of $5.15 per hour, or roughly $10,700 a year.

The affiliated unions of the Arizona AFL-CIO, several community organizations and Democratic Rep. Steve Gallardo of Phoenix are drafting a bill to set the hourly minimum wage in Arizona at $6.65.

"Nobody can support a family with that income," said Gallardo,

Michael McGrath, executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO, added, "People are working full time and are living beneath the poverty level," said

Should the bill fail to get past the Republican-controlled Legislature, backers of the proposal will look to put the matter on the 2006 ballot.