(CA) Senate votes to hike state's minimum wage to $7.75

[Scro]

California's minimum wage would rise to $7.75 an hour during the next two years and become the nation's highest if a bill passed Thursday by the state Senate becomes law.

With no discussion, the Senate voted 22-14 to hike the current $6.75 minimum wage by 50 cents next July 1, and another 50 cents on July 1, 2006. The Senate's vote returns the bill to the Assembly, which has already approved the concept, and sets up a showdown over the state's wages with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The minimum wage bill is among many business and labor matters that will land on Schwarzenegger's desk in coming weeks, forcing the Republican governor to take positions on issues he has previously been able to avoid since taking office in November. Schwarzenegger, elected with major financial support of businesses and corporations, has promised to veto bills that he believes will harm the state's business climate.

Business groups immediately attacked the Senate's action, which was led by majority Democrats and pushed by the California Federation of Labor and most of the state's labor unions.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20040819-1441-ca-xgr-minimumwage.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. This should become very interesting, as the Gropinator is forced

to veto the bill raising the minimum wage. He's going to lose support BIG TIME from a lot of people.

It will point him out as somewhat different from the big hero he has attempted to resemble.

Thanks, Scro. Welcome to D.U. :hi: :hi:

[ze_dscherman]

2. I actually believe hiking minimum wages is good for the business climate

Corporations tend to look at the expenses, but not on the overall economy, which is mainly driven by consumers. If people are payed decent minimum wages, they are also able to consume more. Of course, it is not that simple ... but hey, republicans also believe in the trickle down economy.

[bemildred]

4. Higher minimum wage,

taxpayer funded national health care,
restoration of high progressive income taxation,
fix the fucking federal deficit,
and MAYBE the economy will start to recover somewhat.

[TahitiNut]

9. The studies confirm this.

Instead of causing unemployment, raising the minimum wage attracts more qualified workers and adds to their family's discretionary income. There is NO correlation whatsoeer between minimum wage increase and unemployment, despite these repeated false claims. The "ownership class" continues to advocate eating seed corn and drinking priming water. Their short-term myopia is a side-effect of greed ... greed and the fact that the most radical among them never actually had to build a product or provide a service other than by entitlement.

[David__77]

3. If vetoed, we need an initiative.

That's how we raised it in 1998, and it helped our landslide that year, with GOPers exposed as the anti-people pricks they are.

[Sandpiper]

5. It would be a good start

But to make the minimum wage a living wage in California, it would need to be more like 10 or 11 per hour.

Regardless though, the state dems need to seize this issue, tie it around gropenfuhrer's neck and expose him for the cheap labor conservative that he is.

[realFedUp]

6. State jobs or all jobs?

I didn't know that each state makes its
own minimum wage...
Good for the Senate!

Initiative your way out of this one Arnold....

[TahitiNut]

7. All FLSA jobs. All states can do this, and many do.

Green indicates states with minimum wage rates higher than the Federal



http://www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/america.htm

[realFedUp]

8. Good map, thanks! n/t

[denverbill]

10. Very interesting map.

Notice which states are high and which are low. Democratic leaning states are almost all higher minimum wage states. Republican leaning ones are almost all lower than federal minimum wage states.

[TahitiNut]

11. Yes, and the Green states are economic powerhouses, too.

Without exception, green states pay more in federal taxes than they consume, have higher educational levels, and have greater per capita GDP's.

But the "ownership class" really doesn't care about raising all boats. They're quite happy with a greater disparity in income even if the combined wealth is far, far lower. There are many people in the predatory class who get their jollies by seeing people suffer while they drive by in their Hummers.