Workers around the country stepped away from their jobs at fast-food restaurants and other low-wage sites on Dec. 4 in protests demanding improved wages. Workers and supporters say their wages are too low to support their families and that many as a result are forced to rely on government assistance. Rep. George Miller of California and Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, both Democrats, have introduced legislation to raise the minimum wage nationally to $10.10. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, a solid majority of Americans from all major religious groups favor raising the minimum wage, including black Protestants (89 percent), Catholics (78 percent), religiously unaffiliated Americans (77 percent), white mainline Protestants (69 percent) and white evangelical Protestants (61 percent). Support for a minimum wage hike also crosses partisan lines, though Americans who identify with the Tea Party movement stand out for their significant opposition to the measure.

This article appears in December 23-30 2013.