(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Twenty dollar bills are counted on June 15, 2018, in North Andover, Mass. The number of Americans who do not have a bank account fell to a record low last year, as the proliferation of online-only banks and an improving economy is bringing more Americans into the traditional financial system, according to a report Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

(Harrisburg, PA) Amid a severe teacher and staff shortage, school support workers and their union allies rallied Tuesday in Harrisburg for a better living wage. The group says House Bill 777 would raise wages for more than 41-thousand school staff members. More than 100 people gathered on the Capitol steps and met with lawmakers to gauge their support for the bill. Aaron Chapin with the Pennsylvania State Education Association says it would raise the pay for support staff in public schools to a living wage of at least 20 dollars per hour. Chapin says it would raise support staff wages by about 3 dollars an hour. A PSEA survey from last fall found four out of five Pennsylvania voters would support a 20 dollar minimum wage for school support staff.