The Michigan Senate passed a bill hiking the minimum wage from $7.40 to $9.20 an hour by 2017, WWJ reported.
The Republican bill, which got bipartisan support, passed 24-14 on Thursday, WWJ reported. The bill was proposed by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville. Ten of 12 Dems voted for the bill.
The bill now goes before the House for a vote.
Some critics have argued that the minimum wage should go up to $10.10 per hour. Conversely, some argue any significant bost in the minimum wage could hurt business.
"And here’s the important piece for the Democrats: They wanted an automatic inflationary increase written into this law, so that if inflation goes up, the minimum wage would go up — the so-called CPI factor,” reported WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick.. “If that had not been in the bill, the Democrats would have voted no, but they voted yes because it was.”
The vote came on the day fast food workers across the nation -- including in Detroit at a McDonald's on W. Grand Blvd. -- were striking to protest low wages. They are asking for $15 an hour. -- A.L.
(photo by Barbara Ingalls @bigrafx at McDonald's in Detroit)
