244 70 News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Just imagine what it would be like if you were living on $7.25 an hour. do the math and listen to poppy harlow. >> reporter: well, over the last year, there have been a flurry of protests from retail and fast food workers demanding what they call a living wage. saying they can't get by on what they're making. here is a look at what life is like for two workers who say they simply need to make more to make it on their own. >> you have no money on your lunch account? not a dollar? >> reporter: this woman is stuck in a job that pays $7.30 an hour. she works overnights at a deli, 40 hours a week. ...

And rode island will see even bigger bumps. more than 20 million workers made less than $20,000 last year. and people are protesting with workers saying that they're not making enough to get by. here is cnn's poppy harlow. >> reporter: well, over the past year, there have been a flurriy of protests from retail and fast food workers demanding what they call a living wage, saying they can't get by on what they're making. here is a look at what life is like for two workers who say they simply need to make more to make it on their own. >> you have no money in your lunch account? >> no. >> not a do...

Now that the minimum wage is going up in 13 states. most increases amount to less than 15 cents per hour, but minimum wage workers in places like new jersey, connecticut, new york, and long island will see a much bigger bump. >> you have no money on your lunch account? >> no. >> at 29 years old, joanna cruz is stuck, stuck in a job that pays $7.30 an hour. she works overnights at a deli, 40 hours a week. her weekly paycheck, $244.70. what do you need to make to be able to get by on your own? >> i would have to make at least $14, $15 to be able to live comfortably. >> you add it up as you go? >...

Improving. home values are rising, 401(k)s are rising. big companies are making money but they are not hiring and not paying wages to allow the middle class to take part. poppy harlow met with americans not feeling happy. what did you find? >> we have been seeing a flurry of protest demanding what they are calling a living wage. arguing they can't get by on what they are taking home an hour. they are demanding a higher wage as the stock market soars to record highs. keep this in mind, half of all americans are not invested in the market and not benefitting from the run. >> you have no money on...

The stock market hit record highs and almost half of all americans have no investment whatsoever in the stock market. so, increasingly, this is a tale of two america. >> no money on your lunch account. not a dollar. at 29 years old joanna cruz is stuck in a job that pays $7.30 an hour. she works overnights at a deli. her weekly paycheck, $244.70. what do you need to make to be able to get by on your own? >> i would have to make at least $14, $15 to be able to live, comfortably. do you add it up as you go? >> i do. >> reporter: she is a single mom fighting to get by. don't be mistaken, she blam...