By Bill O'Neil
Newly released numbers from the federal government find the number of Texans at the lowest end of the pay scale fell again last year--to a total of about 450,000 across the state in 2012.
"That accounts for 7 1/2 percent of all hourly paid workers in the state" said Cheryl Abbot, a Regional Economist at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. She told 550 KTSA News that number reflects a decline of about 21,000 over the previous year.
"The main reason this would be going down for the last couple of years is really related more to the fact the minimum wage has not increased" Abbot said.
Looking more closely at the numbers, the report shows about twice as many women are in the category as their male counterparts. While the state ranks second in the country in the percentage of workers in the category, Abbot said that has a lot to do with the fact that 19 other states have minimum wage laws above the federal standard.
Photos: floridarestaurantlaw.blogspot.com; oit.edu; texastribune.org
"That accounts for 7 1/2 percent of all hourly paid workers in the state" said Cheryl Abbot, a Regional Economist at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. She told 550 KTSA News that number reflects a decline of about 21,000 over the previous year."The main reason this would be going down for the last couple of years is really related more to the fact the minimum wage has not increased" Abbot said.
Looking more closely at the numbers, the report shows about twice as many women are in the category as their male counterparts. While the state ranks second in the country in the percentage of workers in the category, Abbot said that has a lot to do with the fact that 19 other states have minimum wage laws above the federal standard.Photos: floridarestaurantlaw.blogspot.com; oit.edu; texastribune.org
