Minimum Wage in California Increases
The California minimum wage rose to $9 an hour on July 1, 2014, making California’s minimum wage the fourth highest in the nation. The minimum wage in the state will rise again to $10 an hour on January 1, 2016. This change parallels other minimum wage increases, such as the narrowly approved $15 minimum wage at the Sea-Tac airport and in the surrounding small town in Washington state.
California’s minimum wage is not tied to inflation as it is in other states like Oregon and Washington, which is a concern for workers-rights groups.
Many workers-rights groups have hailed the minimum-wage increase as a step in the right direction. However, they recognize that $9 an hour is insufficient. With the minimum wage still insufficient to adequately support working families, low-wage workers, such as those in the fast-food industry, are organizing to improve their working conditions. One recent Union victory was in the Los Angeles Unified School District where a Union secured a minimum wage of $15 an hour for school service workers. While the legislatures in California and other states make advances on their minimum-wage laws, the example of LAUSD shows the power of organizing and the Union in the face of inadequate laws.
We will continue to update you on the progress of any bills in the California Legislature on the California’s minimum wage.