By Alan K. Ota
Roll Call, Sept. 20, 2013
The National Federation of Independent Business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce stand adamantly against a higher minimum wage ... But ... Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, has focused on the upside of Democratic efforts to raise the current hourly wage standard of $7.25 an hour. Potential benefits, the group argues, include better employee morale, lower turnover and more consumer spending.
The group collected signatures from more than 1,000 businesses and advocacy groups to help propel the last increase in the minimum wage in 2007. Six years later, supporters hope to mount a similar campaign. ...
The coalition backs a proposal by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, to raise the wage to $10.10 an hour over two years, followed by annual inflation indexing. ...
Craig Jelinek, CEO of retailer Costco, backs Harkin’s plan. Costco, the nation’s fourth-largest retailer by annual sales, pays workers an entry-level hourly wage of $11.50. ...
Copyright 2013 Roll Call