$15 hour minimum wage in Michigan?

[News Junkie]

Can happen with a majority in both chambers and the governor? Is it on the agenda? Anyone know the plan?

[James48]

1. It is not in the plan for now.

The minimum wage just went up to $10.10 on January 1.

But the big news is the court case- which the Judge ruled that the wage in Michigan will rise to $13.something on February 19. (If you have been following- that’s a court case from the screwing we got by republicans in 2018. )

So everybody is waiting to see what happens when the February rise kicks in- because that will be the big one for tipped employees. We have to see how that impacts for a few months before deciding if going to $15 is worth the effort and political force that will be needed.

Ask again in six months. We might be ready to hold sone hearings by then.

[News Junkie]

2. Maybe we'll have hearings in six months?

Glad the court case will give some increase soon. But the fight for fifteen started ten years ago That's the equivalent of $19 now. Not sure what kind of impact we have to wait for, or why hearings are necessary. Just sounds tepid.

[James48]

3. Because the tip thing is huge.

Tipped wage going from $3.25 to $11.80 in one day is a huge jump. They are going to see what happens thrn. Do restaurants cut hours of workers? Or raise prices? Or both? They (mgt) want to see what that impact is before acknowledging a fight fii or r $15.

[Moosepoop]

4. It's complicated.

We have the current hourly rate of $10.10, but there is the court case that could jump it to $13.03.

The GOP legislature and governor did an end run around a ballot initiative back in 2018, resulting in our current wage scale.

That led to lawsuits, which led to a judge ruling back in July that the Legislature violated the state constitution with their maneuver, and he ruled that the original ballot initiative was to go into effect. But he paused it going into effect until Feb. 19th of this year, in order to give businesses time to gear up for it, and also for any appeal of his ruling. It was appealed, and now we're waiting on a ruling from the appeals court. The ruling is expected in February. (Changes to the minimum wage for tipped earners and the state "sick time" law are also part of the package.)

No matter which way that ruling goes, the losing party is almost certain to appeal it again, to the Michigan Supreme Court. Even if the current appeals court also rules in favor of the wage increases, it may put a stay on implementing the increases until the Michigan Supreme Court hear and rules on it. No clue how long that might take.

And MEANWHILE... yes, there IS a plan for a $15 minimum wage.

One Fair Wage -- one of the same groups that got the original 2018 initiative onto the ballot (only to be thwarted by the GOP), and are involved in the current lawsuit -- again gathered signatures for a petition for a ballot initiative, this time for the 2024 ballot with a $15 wage by 2027.

They again got way more signatures than needed, and submitted it back in July for the 2024 ballot.

It's sort of a back-up plan in case the courts ultimately rule against them in the current case.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/2023-michigan-minimum-wage-increase-may-go-higher-what-know

https://ballotpedia.org/Michigan_$15_Minimum_Wage_Initiative_(2024)#cite_note-12

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2022/07/26/coalition-submits-petitions-ballot-initiative-raise-michigan-minimum-wage/10152754002/

I have no idea what happens with the 2024 ballot initiative if the courts rule in favor of raising the minimum wage according to the 2018 initiative.

[Johnny2X2X]

5. $13 is on the way already

$15 is inevitable.

My wife runs a small business (gardening), she's able to pay her workers $25 an hour. She's able to do so because she's smart and knows how to make customers happy, and because she's not greedy and respects her workers, who she considers partners more than workers. She doesn't view owning a small business as her path to being rich, she enjoys what she does and hires people who enjoy what they do. She pays as much as possible while still remaining viable and able to continue doing business.

If you can't pay $15 an hour, you suck at running your business and/or are greedy.

Small business owners are great and all, but too many of them are greedy. In the end, you're making money off your employee's sweat and talent, the more you know that, the more successful you'll be.