Democratic lawmakers are trying to once again make the state’s minimum wage $12 an hour by 2022.
Last year, there was a ballot measure to increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour. The Legislature passed the measure without it going to the voters, and then quickly made major changes. Now, the minimum wage won’t get to $12 an hour until 2030.
Lesia VanArsdale is a teacher’s aide in Detroit. She says when the Legislature extended how long it would take the state to get to $12 an hour, it felt like an impending pay cut.
“Snatching back our raises. This is illegal and just plain wrong,” she says.
The Legislature is still controlled by Republicans, so the bills are unlikely to go far. But Representative Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills) says this is about principles.
“While there may not be a lot of movement in the Republican leadership to move this, the public is on our side with this,” she says.
But Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) is not on board with changing the minimum wage law again.
“I think the Legislature settled that issue last term and I’m confident that we have the right structure moving forward,” he says.
The state attorney general could weigh in on the legality of last year's move by the Legislature.
