Raising the bar

House should hear minimum wage proposal

Last week, state House Minority Leader Michael Hanley (D-Saginaw) announced to the House of Representatives his plan to increase Michigan's minimum wage to $6.15 an hour, a hike of $1, by next January. He also favors a state constitutional amendment that would increase the minimum wage by the rate of inflation every year. But House Republicans, who hold the majority in the legislature, will not give the bill a hearing, claiming that it is another excuse to raise taxes. And Gov. John Engler claims an increase in the minimum wage is unnecessary because of the current economic growth in the state. But raising the minimum wage would ultimately prove beneficial to workers in Michigan, and the bill should not only be given a hearing by the House, but eventually made law.

At a bare minimum, this bill deserves to be given a hearing. Without a fair presentation of the bill's goals, legislators would not be able to make an informed decision. And once they realize the merits of such a pay increase, they should vote to enact the legislation, which would benefit many working-class people throughout the state.

Increasing the minimum wage would help improve the quality of life for many workers. It is nearly impossible to live on $5.15 an hour, especially for those with families to support.

As the cost of living increases with inflation, it is only right that the minimum wage should increase to compensate. An increase would also help people who are earning minimum wage for a full-time job and cannot work two jobs to make ends meet.

Although many Republicans claim that raising the minimum wage would actually reduce the number of jobs available, there is little indication that that has happened since the last increase in September, 1997, when the federal minimum hourly wage rose from $3.35 to $5.15.

Since then, the number of employed workers has increased from 4.68 million to 4.93 million in the state. And a gradual increase may help stave off any negative consequences that raising the minimum wage may produce.

The legislation the Democrats in the state House are trying to introduce is similar to that being endorsed by U.S. Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.) on the national level. This bill would raise the federal minimum wage to $6.15. President Clinton also recommended an increase in the minimum wage in his State of the Union address last Tuesday. This legislation should be put into effect as well.

In addition, raising the minimum wage in Michigan would only affect one third of minimum-wage employees in the state, as the rest work in areas involving interstate commerce and therefore fall under federal minimum wage laws. These people should also receive the benefits of an increase.

On the whole, raising the minimum wage would benefit more people than it would hurt. An increase would help improve the quality of life for many workers and help compensate for inflation.

The Democrats' initiative should be given a hearing in the state Legislature, and the bill that would raise the federal minimum wage should become law.

01-27-99