Minimum wage hike a certainty

A minimum wage hike of $15 an hour is coming to Seattle.

We don’t know just how – – whether through a citizen’s initiative or by the action of the Seattle City Council, but the minimum wage in Seattle will soon go to $15 an hour.

Business owners in Seattle have seen the hand-writing on the wall and are not fighting the effort.   Instead, a business coalition, led by the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, is negotiating with supporters of the wage increase in an attempt to mitigate some of the damage the move will do.

The coalition wants the $15 minimum wage hike phased in over a period of years.  Supporters of the hike want the entire amount now.   Business owners want a lower wage for new hires.  Supporters of $15 an hour want the full amount for everyone.

Businesses, whose employees depend on tips, want a reduced minimum wage to account for income from tips.  Supporters of $15 want the full amount.

The minimum wage increase is coming to Seattle.  We just don’t know what form it will take yet.

Businesses around the state are keeping a close eye on those negotiations knowing full well that what happens in Seattle will eventually find its way across the state.