HARRISBURG, JULY 24, 2006 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione has been named “Legislator of the Month” by the non-partisan Center for Policy Alternatives.

     The national organization cited Tartaglione’s successful seven-year effort to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. 

     “It’s an honor to join a long list of state legislators who have demonstrated dedication to progressive ideas and who had to overcome obstacles to achieve those goals,” Tartaglione said.

     While inflation was taking a toll on Pennsylvania’s families, Tartaglione was introducing legislation to adjust the minimum wage to keep families from sinking into poverty.  Opposed by the business lobby, those bills for years had languished in the Senate’s Labor and Industry committee without seeing action.

     An unprecedented push by church, community and labor leaders broke the logjam early this year, leading to a full Senate vote on a compromise bill in June.  The bill was signed into law in July.

     “The signing of this bill was the result of effort from a lot of different people,” Tartaglione said. “I’m appreciative for the work that was done to get a new minimum wage signed into law.”

     The compromise bill calls for minimum wage hikes that will eventually bring Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $7.15 an hour.  However, employers with fewer than 10 employees will be permitted to pay a rate that rises more slowly.

     Employees of companies with more than 10 full-time workers will see a minimum wage increase to $6.25 on January 1, 2007 and to $7.15 on July 1, 2007.

     For more information on the Legislator of the Month award and past winners, visit: http://www.stateaction.org/legislator/archive.cfm