President Barack Obama got a positive response from University of Michigan students as he discussed a hike in the minimum wage.
Obama ate lunch at Zingerman’s before speaking at the Intramural Building and says that’s partly because of the killer Reuben, but also because they treat their workers well. He says while many corporations lobby for special treatment, Zingerman’s owner Paul Saginaw lobbied for a higher wage for workers.
Obama urged the students to call for Republican legislators to support his proposal to hike minimum wage to 10 dollars and 10 cents an hour. He says states like Michigan are also looking at minimum wage hikes if the federal law can’t be changed.
The president also criticized the Republican budget proposal that he describes as the same plan as they had in 2010 and 2012.
University of Michigan student Laurel Ruza thought it was an amazing speech. She thinks the minimum wage issue is especially important to college students. Ruza appreciated the fact the president got his message across but was also very human and talked to them like students. He joked about spring break and acknowledged several University of Michigan athletes in the crowd.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.
