Minimum wage increased to $15... restaurants sue! Print
Wednesday, 04 June 2014 10:45

Fastcasual.com - Seattle’s City Council unanimously approved a minimum wage increase Monday, to $15 an hour. Mayor Ed Murray is expected to sign its passage today, which would give Seattle the highest minimum wage in the U.S. The pay scale will be implemented throughout several years, with specific timeframes to be determined based on business size. According to CNN, the first increase will come April 1, 2015, bringing the wage to $10 for some and $11 for others. Washington already has the highest minimum wage in the U.S., at $9.32. The federal wage is $7.25. President Obama has called for a minimum wage of $10.10. As expected, restaurant industry workers called Monday’s news a “major victory” in their nearly-two-year quest to get the federal limit up to $15 through growing strikes and protests. "Fast-food workers have been paving the way for a better future for workers across Seattle — and are sending a strong message to cities across the country," Seattle Domino’s employee Crystal Thompson said in a news release. "When I see $15, I'll be able to afford my own place in a safe neighborhood where my kids can ride their bikes, and I'll finally be able to go back to school." Labor union group SEIU also applauded Seattle’s move, calling it “historic” and predicting its positive effect on more than 100,000 workers. David Rolf, president of SEIU 775, vice president of SEIU, and co-chair of Mayor Ed Murray’s Income Inequality Advisory Committee, issued a statement that read in part: Continue