Latest news with #MinimumWage
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Olympia council votes 4-3 to send $20 minimum wage, Workers' Bill of Rights to public vote
The Olympia City Council voted 4-3 on July 22 against an initiative to adopt a Workers' Bill of Rights and raise the minimum wage across the city to $20. It unanimously voted to forward the initiative along for the people to vote on in November. The decision came after several community members provided testimony both for and against the proposal, and nearly a split vote between council members. Mayor Dontae Payne was the deciding vote. The council voted unanimously in a separate vote to send the initiative to the November ballot. The council will take action on for and against committees for the ballot initiative during its Aug. 4 meeting. The initiative states workers deserve fair and secure scheduling with advance notice of their work schedules. They also want the opportunity to move into full-time work when available, and to be paid fairly for their work. The initiative also outlines workers' right to a safe workplace. If adopted, the minimum wage in Olympia would increase on Jan. 1. A phase-in period is included for small and medium-sized businesses to adapt to paying higher wages. Comments from the public Emily Clouse, a Thurston County commissioner, spoke in favor of the initiative, but not on the behalf of the commission as a whole. Clouse said she grew up in her parents' coffee stand and car wash business, and she respects how hard small businesses work to make payroll and build community. She said she knows from her work at the county and as a service provider in Olympia that the people keeping those businesses running are the same people on housing waitlists, in line at the food bank and trying to piece together child care. 'When pay hours and scheduling are unstable, everything in a family's life becomes unstable: housing, health, school and safety,' Clouse said. 'That instability hits hardest for young workers, caregivers, queer and trans workers, immigrants, disabled folks and people coming home from incarceration, exactly the neighbors we say we want to keep rooted here in our community.' Clouse urged the council to pass the initiative as written and said setting a fair baseline helps good employers who are already doing right by their staff. Alice Rosewater said she's a local library worker and member of the executive board for the Thurston Lewis Mason Central Labor Council. She supported passing the initiative and said ballot initiatives are rare in the City of Olympia. Rosewater said the number of signatures needed in order to put an initiative on the ballot is unreasonably high, and much higher per capita than what's required in other cities in Washington. 'Over 5,700 signatures after ballot collection have to be verified, representing nearly 10% of the entire population,' Rosewater said. 'But in spite of this massive hurdle, Olympians have made their voices clear. We demand a higher minimum wage. We demand basic workplace protections in our city.' Rosewater questioned whether it was democratic to send the initiative to a vote of the people when it gives business lobbyists the chance to pour money into campaigns to sway the public opinion. Tammie Hetrick, the president and CEO of the Washington Food Industry Association, didn't support the council adopting the initiative Tuesday night. She asked that it be moved to a public vote for further consideration and for the public to learn more about its implications. Hetrick said she's concerned there will be unintended consequences on the cost of food for grocers and convenience stores that average a 1% profit margin. 'They would not have a choice but to increase food costs to comply with this mandate,' she said. Mindy Roberts is a staff member at the Union Gospel Mission. She said the morning of July 22, more than 80 men and women woke up on the floor of the mission. Before the end of the morning, the mission had served more than 300 meals. Roberts said most of their employees make at least $17/hr and are provided meals. She said they have subsidized housing and try to do everything they can to make sure employees are cared for. She said if the initiative passes, the mission can't afford to pay its workers. 'We won't be able to keep the shelter open, potentially, or we're going to have to stop serving those meals, or we're going to have to talk to the children that are being served and let them know that the kid's club isn't going to be able to be open in September,' Roberts said. Marisa Wulff, co-owner of the Mud Bay pet store chain, asked the council to forward the initiative to a vote of the people. She said the city needs to find the right balance between great jobs for people and the survival of Olympia's local businesses. 'Our company is owned by our family and we're passionate about being a good employer,' Wulff said. 'We provide schedules three weeks in advance. We provide medical, dental and vision insurance for our full-time employees, a generous staff discount, paid time off and a 401K match. We provide security buttons for employees when they work alone.' Wulff said during the last few years, the complexities of being in business have increased dramatically because of increased costs. 'We have had to make cutbacks, including reducing store staffing levels by more than 20%,' she said. 'We have 140 fewer employees than we did three years ago with the same number of stores; our employees used to be almost all full time. We've had to shorten shift links and hire part time. Many of our stores now open and close with only one person.' Wulff said her company is struggling to compete with goliaths like Chewy and Amazon. 'Chewy is shipping products into our communities, but they are not providing jobs for our residents, and we are,' she said. Comments from the council The proposal to adopt the initiative without sending it to the public to vote on was supported by council members Clark Gilman, Jim Cooper and Robert Vanderpool. Gilman said the measure came before the council with more than enough signatures to qualify it for the ballot. He said the council should pass the measure and use time and resources that would be spent on an election campaign instead to meet with employers and workers and conduct a study to address the council's questions. 'One of the questions we've asked often is, who will this measure benefit? And in my world, the working class is not a temporary phase, it's a lifetime of work,' Gilman said. 'Hourly workers in many different industries, workers in different phases of their life, all would benefit from increased pay and scheduling protection, whether the paycheck comes from a boutique or large, locally owned or corporate employer.' He said the people who would benefit from the Workers' Bill of Rights in the community range from teenagers who have to contribute to the family budget, to many parents with school age children, to elders who must continue to work to pay for their health care concerns and expenses. 'The measure is an important step to leveling the playing field in Olympia and creating a strong Olympia where everybody has a chance to belong and an opportunity to live with dignity,' Gilman said. Cooper said the Workers' Bill of Rights isn't a vague aspiration, but a clear, community-driven mandate. 'Over 13,000 signatures were submitted, far exceeding the threshold required,' Cooper said. 'That's not just a number. That's thousands of our neighbors, constituents and local workers from around the region telling us they want action now.' He said the protections laid out in the initiative aren't radical demands, but baseline expectations of a just and moderate economy. 'Studies consistently show that higher minimum wages do not reduce youth employment,' he said. 'In fact, they often lead to better job stability and more predictable hours, things young people need just as much as anyone else. And for nonprofits, fair wages help retain staff, reduce turnover and improve service delivery.' Cooper said the council often meets to talk about housing affordability, zoning, density and supply, but rarely are wages discussed. He said 44% of households in Olympia fall under the term asset-limited, income-constrained and employed. He said these are people who often work full time but still can't afford their basic necessities. 'Housing costs in Olympia have risen 55% over the past seven years, while wages have only risen 38%,' Cooper said. 'The gap is not just a statistic. It's a trap. It keeps people stuck in the cycle of rent burden, unable to save, unable to move, unable to build wealth, and when people can't move up, they can't move out.' Cooper said the city can't solve its housing crisis without addressing wages. 'We cannot build a thriving city on the backs of underpaid workers,' he said. 'We cannot keep deferring decisions that we have the power and the responsibility to make.' Mayor Dontae Payne said he couldn't be in support of the initiative because there were a number of things he found problematic. He said the initiative isn't written well and he's concerned about the impacts it will have on smaller businesses in Olympia. He said just last week the council had a study session and posed questions to city staff that the council needed answers to before coming to a decision, yet no answers have been provided. 'They're basic questions: what are the current economic conditions of the City of Olympia? Why are we making this decision, and for whom? How many will it impact? Who will be affected? What are the consequences that we foresee and what are the ones that maybe we're not thinking about?' he said. Payne said the city hasn't done its homework, and it shouldn't be passing policies without all the answers. He said Olympia isn't Seattle, and you can't take what's happening there and plot it in a city the size of Olympia. 'Please understand that there will be those who will benefit from this action and there will be those who do not,' he said. 'And it is just not a reality to sit here and say that it's going to be beneficial to the majority of people in this community, because I don't think it will, and so I will not be supporting adopting it as an ordinance to the city tonight.' Solve the daily Crossword
Malay Mail
22-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Minimum wage order at RM1,700 to be enforced nationwide from August 1, no more deferments, says ministry
PUTRAJAYA, July 22 — The 2024 Minimum Wage Order of RM1,700 will come into full effect from August 1, according to the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma). In today's statement, Kesuma announced that the order will apply to employers nationwide, regardless of the number of employees hired, following the end of the six-month deferment period on July 31. 'Effective August 1, 2025, without exception, all employers, including those who previously benefited from the deferment period, must comply with the RM1,700 monthly minimum wage order. 'This includes non-citizen employees and contract apprentices, but does not apply to domestic workers,' read the statement. The ministry reminded employers to review their company's wage structure to ensure no employee receives a basic salary below the stipulated minimum rate, and to progressively adjust operations by focusing on productivity enhancement and employee skills training. Kesuma also warned that failure to comply with the order is an offence under the National Wages Consultative Council Act 2011, which carries a fine of up to RM10,000 for each affected employee, with an additional penalty of RM1,000 for each day the offence continues after conviction. For repeat offences, the maximum penalty may reach RM20,000 or imprisonment for up to five years. The ministry also encouraged employers to adopt the voluntary progressive wage policy (PWP) that serves to complement the implementation of the minimum wage order. 'Through the PWP, employers have the opportunity to raise employees' incomes based on productivity, skills, and work contributions, while also benefiting from targeted cash incentives provided by the government. 'This not only helps companies retain highly skilled workers but also strengthens long-term competitiveness in an increasingly challenging labour market,' it added. Complaints regarding the implementation of the Minimum Wage Order can be submitted to the Department of Labour nationwide or via Kesuma's official website. Further information on the minimum wage order and the PWP can be obtained at and respectively. — Bernama
Business News Wales
08-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Strongest Rise in Welsh New Business Since March 2023
Welsh businesses saw a further rise in output during June, according to the latest Cymru Growth Tracker data from NatWest, but growth in activity slowed despite a sharper upturn in new sales. At 50.5 in June, the headline Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region's manufacturing and service sectors – fell from 51.5 in May, to signal only a slight expansion in output at Welsh private sector firms. Meanwhile, the rate of increase in new orders accelerated to the sharpest in over two years. Despite more favourable demand conditions, firms were less confident in the outlook for output over the coming year and registered another strong fall in employment. On the price front, input costs and output charges increased at softer rates in June. Although still historically elevated, output prices rose at the weakest pace since October 2024. Sebastian Burnside, Chief Economist of NatWest Group, summarised the report's findings for Business News Wales: Jessica Shipman, Chair, NatWest Cymru Regional Board, said: 'Business conditions appear to be improving for Welsh firms, as new order growth accelerated to the fastest in over two years and companies raised their output levels in turn. That said, the rise in activity was only slight. At the same time, previous hikes to the Minimum Wage and National Insurance contributions continued to weigh on business decisions as employment contracted again and confidence in the outlook was dampened amid concerns regarding client spending, and efforts to control costs. 'Inflationary pressures eased further from the recent highs seen in April, meanwhile. In a bid to drive sales, selling prices rose at the weakest rate since last October, as firms noted prioritising competitiveness over protecting their margins. In fact, of the 12 monitored UK nations and areas, only Yorkshire & Humber recorded a slower uptick in charges.' Performance in relation to UK The rate of output growth was slower than the UK average. Anecdotal evidence suggested that stronger demand conditions supported the upturn, however. Private sector firms in Wales signalled a second successive monthly expansion in new orders during June. The pace of growth quickened notably to the steepest in over two years. Moreover, the rise in new sales was the second-fastest of the 12 monitored UK nations and regions (behind the East of England). As well as being below the long-run series average, the level of optimism was the second-weakest of the 12 monitored UK nations and areas, ahead of only the North East. Surveyed firms stated that customer uncertainty and reduced client spending weighed on positive sentiment. A higher cost to employ staff following hikes to the Minimum Wage and National Insurance contributions reportedly led to cost-cutting initiatives and a reduction in headcounts. Of the 12 monitored UK nations and areas, Welsh firms recorded one of the sharpest drops in employment. The pace of job shedding eased, however, to the slowest since last November. Despite a rise in new orders, firms were able to continue working through their backlogs during June. The rate of depletion was among the slowest in over a year, having softened from that seen in May. Nonetheless, the pace of decline was strong overall and quicker than the UK average. Panellists mentioned that greater prices for raw materials and higher transportation fees coincided with the further impact of hikes in wage bills and labour costs on balance sheets. That said, the pace of input price inflation eased to the slowest in 2025 to date and was weaker than the UK average. At the same time, the rate of increase in output charges softened as firms opted to remain competitive and drive new sales rather than protect margins. The pace of inflation was the least marked since October 2024. Moreover, of the 12 monitored UK nations and areas, only Yorkshire & Humber recorded a slower hike in output charges.
Washington Post
30-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
New laws in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. range from seat belts to taxes
Adults will have to buckle up in the back seat, students give up cellphones in school and large restaurants must quit packing takeout in polystyrene containers in Virginia come Tuesday, when new laws take effect in the Old Dominion. Just across the Potomac, the District will boost its minimum wage and Maryland will hike an array of taxes and fees, launch a teacher-recruitment program and a suicide hotline, and help unemployed parents who owe child support find jobs.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
NI employers named for not paying staff minimum wage
Twenty-eight businesses in Northern Ireland have been named for failing to pay their employees the minimum wage, according to the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).This comes after a significant uplift to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage came into effect in department said 518 employers across the UK have been ordered to repay workers over £7.4 million after nearly 60,000 workers have been left out of includes 28 employers in Northern Ireland. The businesses have since paid back what they owe to their staff and faced financial penalties of up to 200% of their for Employment Rights Justin Madders said: "There is no excuse for employers to undercut their workers, and we will continue to name companies who break the law and don't pay their employees what they are owed.""This will put more money in working people's pockets, helping to boost productivity and ending low pay," he added. What are the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage? The National Living Wage went up from £11.44 an hour to £12.21. The government said the increase was worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time National Living Wage has applied to employees aged 21 and over since April 2024. Previously, you had to be pay rates are set by the government every year on the advice of an independent group, the Low Pay CommissionYounger employees - aged between 16 and 20 - receive the National Minimum 18, 19 and 20-year-olds, it rose from £8.60 an hour to £10 on 1 government said the increase is worth £2,500 for an eligible full-time 16 and 17-year-olds, the National Minimum Wage rose from £6.40 an hour to £7.55, an 18% separate apprentice rate, which applies to eligible people under 19 - or those over 19 in the first year of an apprenticeship increased by the same amount. The NI Businesses from the DBT 1. Property Management Services NI Limited in Belfast - 414 employees owed an average £136 per worker2. Elliot's auto engineering in North Antrim - 1 employee owed over £17,0003. Winemark in North Belfast - 186 employees owed over £844. Benedicts in south Belfast - 391 employees owed £375. Philip Russell Limited in Belfast - 111 employees owed £946. Regency Hotel in Belfast - 201 employees owed £997. Wine Inns Ltd in Belfast - 103 employees owed £908. Building Blocks Day nursery in Mid ulster - 45 employees owed £1239. City Office NI Ltd - 2 employees owed £1,80010. Whistledown Hotel in South Down - 46 employees owed £4611. RJ Ferguson in Mid Ulster - 3 employees owed £67012. CPM Electrical in Fermanagh- 4 employees owed £48413. The Village store in West Tyrone - 1 employee owed £172514. Spice restaurant in Lagan Valley - 3 employees owed £55215. R Loughlin Electrical in west Tyrone - 3 employees owed £51416. Annavale Joinery Works - 4 employees owed £36617. Colemans Garden Centre - 35 employees owed £4118. McAleer and McGarrity in Mid Ulster - 2 employees owed £60319. Trinity Park Nursery - 17 employees owed £6020. Birdies Day nursery - 8 employees owed £10221. The Sooty Olive in Derry - 33 employees owed £2422. Kids Korner nurseries in Belfast - 23 employees owed £3323. Safe Gas NI Ltd - 1 employee owed £63924. Kanto Stranmillis Ltd - 1 employee owed £59025. Happy Children Nursery in Strangford - 12 employees owed £4726. Euro Hand car wash - 7 employees owed £7627. Ardmore Pre-cast concrete Ltd - 1 employee owed £52528. Timberquay Ltd in Derry - 14 employees owed £16
