Ohio minimum wage increase goes into effect today. Chalk up a victory for us.

[MGD]

"Except as provided in this section, every employer shall pay their employees a wage rate of not less than six dollars and eighty-five cents per hour beginning January 1, 2007. On the thirtieth day of each September, beginning in 2007, this state minimum wage rate shall be increased effective the first day of the following January by the rate of inflation for the twelve month period prior to that September according to the consumer price index or its successor index for all urban wage earners and clerical workers for all items as calculated by the federal government rounded to the nearest five cents."

http://raisethewage.org/issue2.html

That's a $1.70 raise for the lowest income workers which will hopefully stimulate a gradual overall wage increase for the middle class and should stimulate some discretionary spending which is always good too. I wish it were more and I'm hoping that it will be soon now that the new congress steps up to the plate.

[Joanne98]

1. Yay!

[Blue Diadem]

2. Yes, I've also heard our dear state government exempted a few groups

DH and I were livid when we heard about it, just a few weeks ago. It was not what the people voted for when they approved issue 2.

I think the people exempted are: home health care workers, agriculture and amusement/recreation park workers.

Overall I'm extremely happy to see our minimum wage increase..I was just hoping for it to increase for all our people.

[tyedyeto]

3. Arizona's new minimum wage starts today also!

It's now at $6.75per hour.

The pisser is that it still allows tipped employees to be paid $3.00 per hour less than the minimum. Of course, an employer must pay the minimum if wages+tips do not equal $6.75 per hour. But that formula can be averaged out though the work week and not on a per shift basis. AZ is not a worker friendly state.

[msongs]

4. also in california, with another raise next year (75 cents, 50 cents) nt