SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle City Council unanimously
passed an ordinance Monday that gradually increases the minimum wage in
the city to $15, which would make it the highest in the nation.
The
issue has dominated politics in the liberal municipality for months,
and a boisterous crowd of mostly labor activists packed the Council
chambers for the vote. Mayor Ed Murray, who was elected last year, had
promised in his campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. A
newly-elected socialist City Council member had pushed the idea as well.
"We
did it. Workers did this," said Kshama Sawant, the socialist City
Councilmember "We need to continue to build an even more powerful
movement."
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen said "Seattle wants to stop
the race to the bottom in wages" and address the "widening gap between
the rich and the poor."
The measure, which would take effect on
April 1, 2015, includes a phase-in of the wage increase over several
years, with a slower process for small businesses. The plan gives
businesses with more than 500 employees nationally at least three years
to phase in the increase. Those providing health insurance will have
four years to complete the move. Smaller organizations will be given
seven years.
The International Franchise Association, a
Washington, D.C.-based business group that represents franchise owners,
said it plans to sue to stop the ordinance.
"The City Council’s
action today is unfair, discriminatory and a deliberate attempt to
achieve a political agenda at the expense of small franchise business
owners," the group said in a statement.
The ordinance came from
recommendations made by an advisory group of labor, business and
nonprofit representatives convened by Murray. After more than four
months of discussion, the group presented its plan last month. Last week
the Council delayed implementation by a few months and approved a
sub-minimum wage for teenagers, a provision opposed by labor
representatives.
Although some local businesses have come out in
support of the measure, a group of restaurant owners oppose it, saying
it would force them to scuttle expansion plans, decrease hiring and
possibly cut service hours.
Nick Musser, executive chef and
general manager of the Icon Grill in downtown Seattle, doesn’t think the
wage credit for tips should phase out after seven years and finds the
differentiation between large and big companies irrelevant.
"The
reality is that the larger companies are going to ratchet up their wages
and we’re going to have to play at that level anyway," said Musser,
whose restaurant employs between 50 and 60 people, depending on the time
of year. Most of them are paid minimum wage.
Ubah Aden, 40, a
Seattle home health worker who says she now earns $10.95 an hour, is
looking forward to the way a higher wage will help her support her three
children. But she also likes the idea of Seattle setting an example for
the rest of the nation.
"If this passes, then it will pave the way for other cities and states. I really think so" Aden
said.
She
said she and her three kids are living with her brother because she
can’t afford an apartment of her own even though she works full time.
"This will make changes to myself and also a lot of other people in my
shoes."
San Francisco currently has the nation’s highest hourly minimum wage at $10.74.
The current minimum wage in Washington state is $9.32 an hour.
Earlier
this year Minnesota raised the state’s guaranteed wage by more than $3,
to $9.50, by 2016. California, Connecticut and Maryland also have
passed laws increasing their respective wages to $10 or more in coming
years.