Job Creators Network Runs Full-Page Ad in the Wall Street Journal Countering Fight For $15 Protests

Atlanta—Tomorrow the Job Creators Network will release a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal countering nationwide protests organized by “Fight for $15” and Black Lives Matter—the groups are calling it “The Fight Racism, Raise Pay” protests. But JCN has an alternative idea about policies that will help the average worker.

JCN recently launched the “Fight For $50” campaign—which calls on legislators to protect entry-level jobs where employees can learn the skills necessary to land one of the millions of available middle-skill jobs paying $50,000 or more. That means avoiding calls from groups like the “Fight for $15” to dramatically raise the entry-level wage and reduce skill-building job opportunities.

View the full-page ad that will appear in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal here.

The ad shows a young person protesting outside the U.S. Capital for $50,000 careers—not $15 minimum wage hikes. The text under the picture reads:

We need to be fighting for $50,000 a year careers by protecting entry-level jobs that teach the skills needed to get them. Policies that allow people to get experience and skills training help to fill the millions of available $50,000 careers like plumbers, firefighters, mechanics, and nurse technicians that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Let’s not hike the minimum wage to levels that will crater the entry-level job market and reduce opportunities for people to get their foot in the door. Let’s raise the wage ceiling not the floor. To get a good job, you need a first job.

“This full-page ad counters arguments made by groups like ‘Fight For $15’ that push for job-killing entry-level wage hikes,” said Alfredo Ortiz, President and CEO of the Job Creators Network. “Instead we need to be focusing on equipping people with the skills necessary to climb up the career ladder so that they can make comfortable livings in the future. And a big part of that is keeping entry-level jobs open to young people—allowing them to gain those vital first job experiences.”