Labor Secretary Tom Perez on federal minimum wage: 'We suck'

Labor Secretary Tom Perez finds it troubling that the United States has one of the lowest federal minimum wages of any country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

"I mean, we suck," he said Thursday at a Bloomberg News event. "We really do."

Perez also panned New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) recent remark that he was "tired" of hearing about the minimum wage, saying the potential 2016 candidate has "got his head in the sand" on the issue.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up