Seattle’s path toward their record breaking 15 dollar minimum wage officially started two days ago with the first bump in pay. Who the law applies to exactly is currently being debated, however.
It is unclear whether or not all public institutions need to abide by the minimum wage increase.
Seattle’s largest public employer, The University of Washington, says there just isn’t any money available to pay the 2,600 student employees the current bump to 11 dollars an hour.
Other public employers have joined as well and the Seattle District reported options they would have to take to offset the labor costs such as: a reduction in services, increasing fees/prices and eliminating non-essential services like catering and fitness centers.
Kshama Sawant, the socialist council women who designed the law, is outraged over The University of Washington’s decision and recommends the following cut and dry solution:
“It is disingenuous for them to say they don’t have enough to pay $15 an hour,” said Sawant, “Why don’t they cut the salaries of the top executives and try to pay $15 and try to increase the wages for the lowest paid workers,?” reports Fox News.
In a phone interview with Anthony Anton, the president of the Washington Restaurant Association, said the math behind the new law just doesn’t add up for restaurants, and menu prices are guaranteed to be higher.
“I don’t have a choice but to increase prices,” said Subway franchisee David Jones. “I just hope that the public rewards us for giving good service and having good food.”
Fast food worker from Seattle WIllie Lane is very happy, "It's a blessing for me as well as for other people who's been working these wages for years. They're getting their equal justice."
Washington Policy Center predicts youth unemployment will rise significantly, some businesses will leave town, and the people it will hurt the most are unskilled workers.