Business makes its pitch, and finds allies in the Senate…

On Wednesday, Washington small businesses will have their day in Olympia, pushing for — among other things — a lower minimum wage for teens and trainees. It’s now $7.01 an hour, or a bit over $14,000 a year. Hearings on this are slated for Wednesday and Thursday.
In the Senate, meanwhile, Republicans on Wednesday plan to launch four business-related bills, including proposals to reduce regulations and squelch Washington’s new ergonomics rules, intended to prevent workplace injuries. Look for a fight from Democrats, particularly over ergonomics, which organized labor sees as a critical worker-protection issue.