May 1 (Bloomberg) -- Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, adopting a rallying cry of fast-food workers, proposed a $15-an-hour minimum wage that would be the highest of any big U.S. city.
The wage would be phased in over three to seven years, with smaller employers getting more time and credit for tips and benefits, Murray said today in a news briefing. After implementation, further increases would be linked to changes in the consumer price index.
“The glue of uniting us together has always been a large middle class,” said Murray, a Democrat elected in November. “Real wages for most U.S. workers have increased little since the 1970s.”
Murray’s proposal is 61 percent more than the present $9.32 hourly minimum wage in Washington state. Restaurants, hotels and other employers have objected to a higher minimum, saying it could raise prices, lead to job losses and force many businesses operating on low profit margins to close.
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