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The top-earning executives in the country are faring far better than minimum wage workers in the Bush economy. While more and more working Americans are feeling the squeeze of rising costs, chief executives have been immune from these pressures. Last year alone, the average total pay for chief executives rose by more than 27 percent.

CEO salaries are even more excessive when compared to the salaries of the lowest wage workers in the companies that they run. CEO compensation has increased by 73% since 1997, while minimum wage workers haven’t seen another penny in their paychecks. As a result of these rising disparities, an average CEO now earns more before lunchtime on the very first day of work in the year than a minimum wage worker earns working full time, all year long.

• CEO compensation has increased by 73% since the last minimum wage increase.
• If the minimum wage had increased at the same rate as CEO pay, it would be $8.91 per hour.