As Congress debates the fiscal cliff, hopefully avoiding balancing the budget on the backs of workers, they should look at retail industry workers. The retail industry has bounced back from the recession, increasing its workforce and profit margin. But this growth is not reflected in retail employee salaries. Over 15 million retailer workers have an average yearly salary of $21,000. A new study reveals that raising retail workers’ wages could drastically change poverty numbers in America.

On Black Friday, many Americans woke up from their turkey slumber to hit the stores… for work. If employers like Walmart, Target, and Kroger raised employee wages to $25,000 a year approximately 1.5 million Americans would be pulled out of poverty. This increase would aid our national GDP from $11.8 billion to $15.2 billion. Job numbers could see a jump of over 160,000 employees. The numbers don’t lie and our economy needs this boost.

With an economy in recovery everything counts and allowing these multimillion dollar companies to shortchange their employees in unacceptable. America’s minimum wage isn’t a living wage and it is time for workers to get paid.

Tell the CEOS of McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell to pay their workers a living wage. Sign the petition now!