Michigan Senate Votes to Increase Minimum Wage
(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 15, 2014)
This afternoon the Michigan Senate passed a bill that would raise the minimum wage incrementally. SB 934 raises it to $8.40 an hour by Sept. 1, 2014, and up to $9.20 an hour by Jan. 1, 2017.
Throughout the state a petition drive has pushed for a higher minimum wage, and President Barack Obama even came to Michigan to bring attention to this issue.
Democratic candidate for Governor Mark Schauer said in a statement “I applaud the Michigan Senate, and call on the Michigan House to pass this landmark bill. This bipartisan bill would give a raise to 1 million Michigan workers, because nobody working full time should be living in poverty. I’ve led on this issue and now it’s time for Governor Snyder to signal his support for this important legislation.”
“In its original form, SB 934 provided a minimal, one-time increase to the state’s minimum wage that was more about pandering and political maneuvering than lifting full-time workers out of poverty,” said Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing). “Michigan’s minimum wage workers deserve solutions from their elected officials, not political games, and I’m pleased we were able to deliver that to them today. This bill is substantially better than the bill introduced and provides a meaningful raise to countless workers that will continue into the future, and I am proud of that.”
The raise will not become law however unless the House of Representatives also approves it. A vote could come as early as next week.
For previous stories see:
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/01/27/group-seeks-ballot-measure-to-increase-minimum-wage/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/04/02/president-obama-visits-ann-arbor-to-promote-minimum-wage-increase/