26 states have plans to raise their respective minimum wages to $15 an hour in the new year.
Workers and activists have been pushing for the hike since 2012.
Now, as the landscape of low-wage work continues to shift in the midst of the pandemic activists in states such as California are pushing for more.
"We were a leader in pushing for a $15 minimum wage, but now we have to move the ball forward
and farther." Joe Sanberg, Activist / Investor, via NBC News.
"It’s overdue for $18." Joe Sanberg, Activist / Investor, via NBC News.
Activists reiterate that $15 an hour has been the minimum of what they've sought to combat America's wage gap.
"$15 is widely understood to be the bare minimum workers anywhere need to get by. $15 has always been the floor, not the ceiling, for wages." Allynn Umel, Fight for $15, via NBC News.
Activists also cite the onset of inflation and the ways in which it impacts low-wage families.
"Working people will continue to demand lawmakers and employers increase pay to keep up with the rising cost of living and ensure that every community can thrive." Allynn Umel, Fight for $15, via NBC News.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, large companies have been more aggressive in their attempts to entice workers.
T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert recently referred to the "job-seekers' market" in a company-wide memo.
"It’s a job-seekers’ market, which means competition to keep and find top talent is competitive ... and as a great employer, we like it that way." Mike Sievert, T-Mobile CEO, via NBC News