A few years ago, a petition drive in Michigan put a proposal on the ballot to increase the state’s minimum wage and increase employee paid sick time.
The (L&Ses) in Lansing quickly amended the new law with weaker provisions.
A court has held that the (L&Ses) cannot preempt the will of the people in that manner, so the official state minimum wage appears headed for $12, from the current $9.87. Tipped employee wages also rise from $3.75 to $12. Of course, in the present environment, where burger flippers are earning $15/hr, $12 is irrelevant.
Not surprisingly, the hospitality industry is having an apoplectic fit at a “big gummit” wage increase that has already been superseded by events.
Michigan judge restores minimum wage, paid leave laws gutted by Legislature
The opinion, by Judge Douglas Shapiro, reinstates the original initiatives as drafted by liberal advocacy groups, directing Michigan to increase its minimum wage law to $12 an hour — up from $9.87 — and require thousands of previously exempt small businesses to provide paid sick leave to workers.
Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the MIchigan Restaurant Lodging Association,…“If this were to be immediately implemented, the chaos it would wreak on the already battered hospitality industry during peak travel season would be almost inconceivable,” said Winslow, whose organization lobbies for the $40 billion Michigan hospitality industry.
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/michigan-judge-…
Meanwhile, I watched a debate among candidates for Gov last night. They were all against “corporate welfare” incentives to locate factories in the state, but all gave full throated support for tourism. How the heck can you build a state economy on lousy, minimum wage, seasonal, hospitality “jobs”?
Steve