Seattle Announces $15 Minimum Wage, Highest In The U.S.

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http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/05/01/3433227/seattle-15-dollar-minimum-wage/



Seattle will raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour over the coming years under a deal brokered by Mayor Ed Murray and blessed by labor and business groups alike, city leaders announced Thursday afternoon.

The new pay floor will phase in at different speeds for businesses of different sizes, but all employers will have to meet the $15 minimum wage by the end of the decade. Businesses with more than 500 employees nationwide will have a three-year phase-in period, while smaller employers get five years to ratchet up their payscales.

After reaching $15 an hour, the city’s minimum wage will automatically climb by 2.4 percent each year regardless of the rate of inflation. Even among states with relatively strong minimum wage laws, automatic increases are uncommon. Thursday’s deal will make Seattle the national leader on municipal minimum wage laws. Washington currently has the highest pay floor of any state at $9.32 per hour.

The deal was a long time coming, with Murray first indicating he wanted to establish a $15 floor back in September during the mayoral campaign. Murray created the 24-member advisory group that crafted the compromise package back in December, and the group of local business owners, restaurateurs, and labor leaders has been grinding toward an agreement for the past four months.

[ladjf]

1. Good for them leading the way! nt

[Generic Other]

2. This is how you make your state a liveable place

I am proud of Seattle.

[Javaman]

3. And the poeple of Seattle can thank Kshama Sawant for this...

It was part of her platform when she ran for a position on the Seattle city council.

It was her influence that made this happen.

Prior to this, the mayor, Ed Murray, was a middle of the road Dem. It was her who convinced him to move more to the left.

Kshama Sawant is a socialist and has my full support.