Noticeably absent from this historic bill, which was passed in the Senate using the budget reconciliation process in order to avoid a filibuster by Republicans, is a measure to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 from the current $7.25, which it’s been since 2009. Originally included in the bill, the minimum wage increase was ruled by the Senate Parliamentarian as falling outside the scope of budget reconciliation. While we wait to see what happens next (get ready for midterms, y’all), let’s take a look at some books about the history of American labor and the minimum wage.
General History Books About American Labor and the Minimum Wage
Racism, Sexism, and Labor
Noticeably missing from this list of books about American labor is a look at the impact and treatment of Latinx workers, who were hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 recession and could benefit a great deal from an increase to the minimum wage. I’ve also chosen to exclude memoirs about living on the minimum wage from this list of books about American labor, as all the titles my research turned up (including Barbara Ehrenreich’s well-known Nickel & Dimed) were authored by individuals who undertook the experience as a journalistic stunt. While these accounts may be compelling, they are not representative of the communities whose lived experiences are actually shaped by a federal minimum wage that hasn’t been raised in more than a decade. For a comprehensive, nonpartisan look at the potential impact of a $15 federal minimum wage, see this guide from the Economic Policy Institute.
