You hear the term all the time while you struggle to look for a job. That people tell you “everywhere is hiring” and that we should stop trying to increase minimum wage.
So why is it that rent increases are “acceptable”? People would rather flip at you for being concerned you aren't getting paid enough than at the landlords who want to charge you 3x your pay for rent? Minimum wage doesn't pay enough for rent and not everyone can just “live with their parents” or “below our means”. You can be as frugal as you want and still not afford rent. “Well then just work longer”. Sure because everyone wants to work 45, 50, 60 hours a week right? That's a toxic work-life balance if you have to work that long to afford rent and food on the table.
It's not unreasonable to ask for higher wages when everything is going up. Why should it be so hard to just get a roof over your head? It's not like people are asking to not work and live in fancy mansions. People either want to rent or own some kind of property just to live and not be on the streets. I'm sorry but whoever designed that goal should be ashamed. People should be working to afford entertainment, food, travel and emergency funds instead of it all going into a building.