Senators Open Debate On Minimum-Wage Issue

Thu., Feb. 5, 1998

Hal Spencer Associated Press

A Senate committee offered a preview Wednesday of what likely will be a full-blown public debate this fall over a proposal to boost Washington’s minimum wage to $6.50 an hour by the year 2000.

The labor-backed proposal is not expected to survive the Republicancontrolled Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, but the panel’s chairman, Sen. Ray Schow, R-Federal Way, said he wanted to hear the bill because it is sure to be on the fall ballot in the form of an initiative.

“It’s time to start the public debate,” he said.

The proposal would raise the state minimum wage to $5.75 an hour in 1999 and $6.50 in the following year. The minimum wage would rise each year thereafter at the same rate as inflation.

Backers said an increase in the minimum wage - the current rate is $5.15 an hour - is badly needed to lift low-paid workers, 70 percent of them women, out of poverty.

Foes asserted that the majority of employers already pay above the minimum wage because the marketplace demands it, but need the flexibility to hire and train unskilled labor.

Rich Nafziger, a policy aide to Democratic Gov. Gary Locke joined officials from organized labor in arguing that the measure, Senate Bill 6577, is simply needed to combat poverty.

Among other things, they cited state statistics that show minimum-wage workers currently earn 38 percent of Washington’s current per capita income, down from 46 percent in 1993.

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