By Ian Hoppe
Birmingham News, August 18, 2015
This morning, the Birmingham City Council voted to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 over the next two years. AL.com reached out to the owners of several Birmingham businesses for comment on the changes, which are not slated to take effect until July 2016, when the city's wage floor will increase to $8.50 an hour. ...
According to statistics compiled by the National Employment Law Project, roughly 19 percent of Birmingham workers - 40,000 people - earn less than $10.10. ...
Danny Ray Winter, owner and operator of both Crestwood Coffee Company and Buck Mulligan's Irish Pub, wrote an op-ed for AL.com at the end of July calling for the city council to pass this ordinance.
"When employees earn enough to be able to pay their bills and meet their basic needs, it makes a world of difference for the success of my businesses," he wrote. "The $7.25 minimum wage that's been in effect since 2009 is bad for business and bad for Birmingham."
When reached for comment, Winter reiterated his statements, but downplayed the significance of this vote.
"I really don't think businesses are going to leave Birmingham," he said. "This is taking place over the next two years. I think there's ample time for everyone to make the adjustments that they need to."
Copyright 2015 Alabama Media Group