St. Louis Gave Workers a Wage Hike. Missouri Republicans Are Taking it Away.

[workinclasszero]

St. Louis Gave Workers a Wage Hike. Missouri Republicans Are Taking it Away.
By Henry Grabar

On Aug. 28, St. Louis may become the first city in the United States to see its minimum wage fall, from $10 an hour to $7.70 an hour, as the Missouri statehouse enables a pay cut for some 35,000 workers.

That’s the date when a new state pre-emption law, drafted specifically to target St. Louis, is scheduled to take effect.

The Missouri measure will override the city’s own minimum wage increase, which was implemented in May after a two-year court battle, and end a three-month period during which fast food, retail, and other workers in the city were required to be paid hundreds of dollars in additional income.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2017/07/07/st_louis_gave_workers_a_wage_hike_missouri_republicans_are_taking_it_away.html

[SWBTATTReg]

1. St. Louis City wage hike

Good articles by workinclasszero and Henry Grabar.

The higher wage ordinance written in St. Louis City was debated intensively at our city forums before being enacted, so all have their say, and some modifications were made to address some issues.

As one who's been lucky enough to move beyond a minimum wage that was established in the late 1970s or 1980s (I think), I know a lot of friends that this unilateral action by the Missouri republican-controlled legislature and republican governor to stop the St. Louis Wage Hike ordinance will hurt (even those that I don't know, it's going to hurt them). I feel for them.

The governor Eric Greitens just sat on the higher wage repeal bill passed by the MO legislature, and allowed it become law (he could have vetoed it). Opinions are that the governor could have signed the higher wage repeal bill into law, but he was afraid to put his name on it (the repeal higher wage law).

The Governor's excuse/guess was that it would hurt businesses. This is a bunch of horse hockey, and no evidence exists at all for this conclusion (Seattle is not St. Louis City).

In fact, the evidence is opposite, in that the cost of everything has gone up over the last twenty years or so (our utility bills, cost of goods, etc. (and the 1% seems to be doing pretty good still, regardless of these higher costs), and the middle class is shrinking).

Plain and simple, these folks deserve more money per hour, it'll help ALL of us, except the 1%, who has enough...don't you think?

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Great post, and welcome to DU.

[SWBTATTReg]

3. Thanks & DU is great.

Thanks. Finally joined and am proud of whole DU universe. Amazing.

[TexasTowelie]

5. Welcome to DU.

I've posted a couple of similar articles in the Missouri Group and suggest that you subscribe to the group.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. Thanks so much

Didn't know MO Group existed until you pointed out. Thanks so much (I subscribed too)!

We're little islands in MO republican land (KCMO and St. Louis City), and it's kind of ironic in a way, in that I moved from Joplin MO to St. Louis MO (from 100% total republican enclave to 100% democratic enclave). So, I switched parties (republican to demo) so my vote would count for something in St. Louis City, in day-to-day government.

What I am discovering is that in day-to-day governing, party tags really don't matter, except to those 1%ers who desire to stand on an unrealistic ideological stand, and end up not getting things done, other than making sure everyone knows their viewpoint (we already know it, pls., enough). This, in all fairness, goes both ways (my democratic brother and republican father and their arguments).

Most people want to get stuff done now, for their families and communities, period.

Sorry to vent, but once again, thanks so much for the heads up.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Welcome to DU, SWBTATTReg!

It's great to have you with us! There's a group for just about every interest here and members from just about every place. And DU is the best place for news anywhere on the web, LOL. So glad you found us!

[Hortensis]

4. Yes, welcome and thanks for the view into what's

happening there. And, yes, generally speaking we do also think just that!