Seattle could be raising their minimum wage to $15 over 3-7 years. (health care, Murray)

[urbanlife78]

Looks like Seattle is planning on making a bold statement. This still has to go to vote for an approval with the City Council, but it has moved closer to becoming reality.



"Under the terms of the plan, small businesses with fewer than 500 workers must raise wages to a minimum of $15 per hour over the next seven years. Those with more than 500 workers must meet that level within three years.

Once the $15 level is reached, further rises will be linked to cost of living increases, said Murray, a Democrat who took office in January with a $15 minimum-wage law as one of his administration's objectives."
Seattle mayor plans to raise minimum wage to $15 over three to seven years | Reuters

[shiftymh]

What do they plan to do with the people already making $12 or $15?

[wutitiz]

Seattle mayor unveils plan for $15 minimum wage | KING5.com Seattle

Things are moving much faster than I would have guessed. Mayor Ed Murray formed a commission to come up with a proposal. The proposal is for phase-in of 7 years for businesses with under 500 employees, 3 years for over 500. And once the $15/hr. minimum is reached, it would be indexed to inflation so that it would probably go up every year.

To me the phase-in aspect is not of much significance. In due time, we're going to get to the $15, and that's what matters. I presume business interests wanted to the phase-in to give them time to get the @#$% out of Seattle.

Self-described Marxist council member Kshama Sawant declares the proposal DOA. You can watch her response at the link--she is quite the entrancing figure, IMO. Her folks are already collecting signatures to put a competing proposal on the ballot in Nov 2014. She wants a more constricted phase-in, and no factoring in of health care and tips. $15/hr, period.

Either way it appears that we will have a $15/hr minimum wage in Seattle, America's 22nd largest city. It's going to be an interesting experiment.

[desertdetroiter]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[afoigrokerkok]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

I'll believe it when I see it.

People are mad (and rightfully so, though I certainly do not agree with calls for a $15/hour minimum wage). In this economic climate, with the left's focus on class warfare, and in one of the more liberal cities in the country, it could certainly happen. It already happened in a suburb of Seattle.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by shiftymh

What do they plan to do with the people already making $12 or $15?

There wages will eventually go up to $15 minimum. After that is up to the employer if they wish to pay more than that for those employees. This raise wouldn't happen overnight, it would take 3-7years, and then be tied to COL after that.

[katzpaw]

When it succeeds, like San Jose, the naysayers will make up yet another excuse why it doesn't count. So let's hear those excuses now.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by afoigrokerkok

People are mad (and rightfully so, though I certainly do not agree with calls for a $15/hour minimum wage). In this economic climate, with the left's focus on class warfare, and in one of the more liberal cities in the country, it could certainly happen. It already happened in a suburb of Seattle.

People are mad? Which people, people in general or people living in Seattle or people who hate seeing the minimum wage go up?

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by katzpaw

When i succeeds, like San Jose, the naysayers will make up yet another excuse why it doesn't count. So let's hear those excuses now.

Exactly, at that point they will all be like, well the cost of living in Seattle is so much higher that it has no effect.

[gunlover]

And this is how the left will Detroit Seattle.