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What I've Been Reading This Week: Minimum Wage Edition


I came across a lot of great articles this week, especially in regard to minimum wage issues.  Given that Halloween is tomorrow, I thought this would be a good time to highlight some articles on the topic.  It really is a 'trick or treat':  a trick for a lot of employers are terrified of impending minimum wage increases, but a treat for employees who have been fighting (and continue to fight) for an increase in their hourly pay.

As always, below are a few articles that caught my eye this week.


Where Do Republican Presidential Candidates Stand on Federal Minimum Wage Rate of $7.25/hour?

Katie Little over at MSNBC has a good overview of where each of the Republican Presidential candidates stand on the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25/hour.  Unsurprisingly, the majority of candidates either do not support raising the federal minimum wage rate or only doing so if the wage rate increase is "reasonable".  Still worth a quick read through to get a feel for where the candidates stand on the issue.


Food Workers for San Francisco Airport to Receive Minimum Wage Hike

Earlier this month, the Airport Commission in San Fransisco voted unanimously to expand the airport's minimum wage rules to include off site laborers that assemble in flight meals for airlines at the airport.  Workers that prepare these meals offsite work in location where the airport's minimum wage rates did not previously apply.  However, these workers will go from an average hourly rate of pay of $10.50 to $13.52 per hour.  As has been noted by supporters of the Fight for $15 movement, this is a step in the right direction to get these workers to an hourly wage rate of $15.00.



Ashley Gross has an interesting note on Citizens' Initiative Measure No. 1, a ballot initiative that Tacoma voters will decide upon next week.  If passed, Measure No. 1 would raise the hourly wage rate to $15.00 per hour for businesses with annual revenue of more than $300,000.00.  This change would go into effect in early December.  For those who might remember, Seattle's $15.00 per hour minimum wage rate will go into effect in 2017 for the earliest businesses impacted by the new law.  A competing measure, Tacoma City Council Initiative Measure No. 1B would phase in a $12.00 per hour minimum wage rate by 2018.


Oregon Chapter of the AFL-CIO Supports $15.00/Hour

Earlier this week, the Oregon chapter of the AFL-CIO gave its support to a ballot measure that would increase Oregon's minimum wage rate to $15.00 per hour.  At its recent convention, The Statesman Journal noted that this chapter of the labor union voted unanimously to support Oregonians for 15.  Whether this support of a ballot measure to increase the minimum wage has any impact is still unclear, but something tells me that the minimum wage rate will stands a shot at increasing in the sate in the not too distant future.  (Another ballot measure has also been proposed to increase the minimum wage rate to $13.50).


Minimum Wage Increase Could Be Coming for Lexington Workers

Recently, the Lexington, Kentucky council voted to place a three year phased in $10.10 minimum wage increase on the docket.  It is important to note that this was a divided vote and only the first hurdle that had to be cleared to raise the minimum wage rate.  



Lydia DePillis has a good note on the Service Employees International Union's 80,000 member strong United Healthcare Workers local in California that has begun an initial foray into the upcoming minimum wage increase votes in 2016.  Recently, this union has started to fund the 'Fairness Project', an organization that is working to boost minimum wage ballot measures around the country.  At this point, the Fairness Project only has "a couple million" on hand to push ballot measures across the country.  It goes without saying that if this organization (and the union) want to push ballot measures around the country, it is going to take more money to really have an impact.  Well worth keeping an eye on over the coming year.

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