Seattle min wage $15, highest in nation

[Luddly Neddite]

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

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.

We will see the economic health of Seattle reflected in this move.

One concern is that as cities raise their minimum wage, more people will move there. We saw this (for a different reason) with the Reagan recession and it put those cities under more stress.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

Don't worry about the stress put on the city. New arrivals have a tough time adjusting to the gawd awful gray wet weather. Many will leave who just can't take it.
It's not the home of S.A.D. for nothing

 

[Yurt]

watch prices in seattle go up and negate the MW hike....

 

[Jughead]

The new minimum wage increase to $15/hour will inevitably result in large scale layoffs, and business shutdowns. There is no way some businesses can continue to operate, and generate profit with this increase.

 

[Katzndogz]

That's where they just had anti capitalist protests. Are they stupid or just ungrateful.

 

[Againsheila]

The new minimum wage increase to $15/hour will inevitably result in large scale layoffs, and business shutdowns. There is no way some businesses can continue to operate, and generate profit with this increase.

All that doom and gloom. Washington already has the highest minimum wage in the nation, and it's indexed for inflation. In all these years it hasn't led to the doom and gloom of inflation or job losses, why do you think this time it will?

 

[HelenaHandbag]

Wait until they see the $5 "extra value" menu at McDonald's.

 

[Zander]

Seattle will become the next Detroit. Businesses in the surrounding cities will all benefit from this silliness....

 

[Againsheila]

Seattle will become the next Detroit. Businesses in the surrounding cities will all benefit from this silliness....

Many of the surrounding cities have already raised their minimum wage to $15. Yeah, it's still being fought in the courts.

 

[Trinnity]

Don't worry about the stress put on the city. New arrivals have a tough time adjusting to the gawd awful gray wet weather. Many will leave who just can't take it.
It's not the home of S.A.D. for nothing

The cost of living is so high, they won't stay.

 

[Jughead]

The new minimum wage increase to $15/hour will inevitably result in large scale layoffs, and business shutdowns. There is no way some businesses can continue to operate, and generate profit with this increase.

All that doom and gloom. Washington already has the highest minimum wage in the nation, and it's indexed for inflation. In all these years it hasn't led to the doom and gloom of inflation or job losses, why do you think this time it will?

You're looking at a jump from $9/hour to $15/hour. This is significant, and many small businesses will not be able to handle it. They can raise prices, but will be forced to shut down as folks will head out to the larger businesses with the lower prices. The larger businesses will simply lay off staff.

 

[Againsheila]

This might be pertinent to the discussion

New Study Pegs Washington State Living Wage at $16.04 to $30.46 an Hour | Slog

 

[CaféAuLait]

When SEATAC's minimum wage was raised many blue collar workers stated they would no longer tip, given waitress will be making the same they are. Their logic was they are not tipped to run their forklift and they only make 15 an hour as well.

Of course there was outrage from servers.

 

[Trinnity]

For Sale in Seattle

$450,000
See Homes for Sale in America?s Most Walkable Cities | Zillow Blog

$1,100,000
Laurelhurst Real Estate & Laurelhurst Seattle WA Homes for Sale | Coldwell Banker

 

[Chuckt]

The new minimum wage increase to $15/hour will inevitably result in large scale layoffs, and business shutdowns. There is no way some businesses can continue to operate, and generate profit with this increase.

Instead of something costing $1 dollar, it will now cost $2 dollars which will make everything more expensive for those whom the bill is supposed to help.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

For Sale in Seattle

$450,000
See Homes for Sale in America?s Most Walkable Cities | Zillow Blog

$1,100,000
Laurelhurst Real Estate & Laurelhurst Seattle WA Homes for Sale | Coldwell Banker

Holy crap !

 

[DigitalDrifter]

So this is even for kids entering the workforce ?

 

[OnePercenter]

The new minimum wage increase to $15/hour will inevitably result in large scale layoffs, and business shutdowns. There is no way some businesses can continue to operate, and generate profit with this increase.

All that doom and gloom. Washington already has the highest minimum wage in the nation, and it's indexed for inflation. In all these years it hasn't led to the doom and gloom of inflation or job losses, why do you think this time it will?

You're looking at a jump from $9/hour to $15/hour. This is significant, and many small businesses will not be able to handle it. They can raise prices, but will be forced to shut down as folks will head out to the larger businesses with the lower prices. The larger businesses will simply lay off staff.

Which is a $3.00/hr net jump.

 

[Jughead]

This might be pertinent to the discussion

New Study Pegs Washington State Living Wage at $16.04 to $30.46 an Hour | Slog

From the link...

The era in which minimum wage jobs were largely staffed by teenagers and other first-time workers has long since passed—indeed, nearly 40 percent of all US jobs in 2012 paid less than a "living wage" of $15 an hour, up from 36.5 percent just three years earlier.

40% is indeed high. Minimum wage jobs were generally not intended to support oneself, let alone a family. They were intended as entry level jobs, and for students. Generally for someone with no job skills and no experience. It's hard to believe that 40% of Americans earn less than $15/hour?

 

[Againsheila]

So this is even for kids entering the workforce ?

More than 80% of those making minimum wage are now adults and most of those adults are upper 20's and 30's.