Voters in Michigan could make the call on whether the state’s minimum wage will rise to $15 from its current $9.87 per hour. The UAW is front and center on pushing the issue to ballots, which could lead not only to the higher overall minimum wage (over the next 5-6 years) but also push tipped workers up to $15 per hour (and keep their tips), too.
The stakes are high because the petition demands further increases beyond $15 for inflation. The Small Business Association of Michigan went on record to express how, despite their support for increased wages, mandated higher wages (that aren’t driven by the market) could translate into fewer available jobs. Given that June 1 is the deadline for the 340,000 petition signatures required, we’ll know soon if the issue will go to voters.
