California is at it again. The so-called Golden State has already thrown caution to the wind by discounting the cost of rising minimum wage for businesses, including within the already besieged healthcare and restaurant industries.
Now, unions have set their sights upon capturing a $25 minimum wage for tourism workers before 2023 ends with a further $1 increase each year until 2028. If successful, this initiative – already ongoing in City Council proceedings and pushed by the SEIU and UNITE HERE – would apply to Los Angeles airports including LAX and Van Nuys, as well as hotels with greater than 60 rooms per facility.
Surprisingly enough, however, California actually doesn’t hold the minimum wage record in the United States. Nor does that title go to New York. Rather, Washington State currently pays the lowest paid workers the most at $15.74 per hour.
California comes in second at $15.50 per hour with Massachusetts at $15 and New York at $14.40. Other states continue to push higher, and that includes Oregon, which will soon boost the minimum wage by 70 cents per hour and boost impacted workers anywhere from $14.20 to $15.45, depending on location.
