On Monday, a bill passed the House of representatives from Maryland, the gradually increase the State minimum wage is up $10.10 per hour, the exact number on which Democrats and President Barack Obama visor set Congress.
The heads of Bill now O'Malley (D), which is expected on the desktop by Governor Martin o' to sign it into law. But while the Bill passage marked a victory for state Democrats and advocates for low-wage, it also comes with some notable disadvantages for progressive.
It is not for the beginning of the minimum wage to an inflation index, peg, as left Democrats had sought. Ultimately be measure moved to placate conservative Democrats as too Republican. While at least 10 other States now index their minimum wages to inflation, Maryland must continue to new casts every few years adopted (except when Congress decides to peg the national minimum wage to inflation).
Major victory for their own catering the State increase not the final bill inclined minimum wage for restaurant servers that can be paid far below the standard minimum wage before tips. This set will keep stable at $3.63 per hour, although restaurants still required to pay the difference if a server wage not the wage base be reached after tips.
In a conversation with HuffPost live (see above) Maryland State said del. Keiffer Mitchell (D), that the tilted minimum wage remains unchanged was because many members, including Democrats worried about, that restaurants were the State at a competitive disadvantage against neighboring States such as Delaware and Virginia.
How are the indexing, Mitchell said he would have preferred it, that it remained in the Bill. But he said that the legislation would probably not have survived.
"I think that statutory minimum wages, which we pass is good; It's not perfect. The main thing is that we have had this number $10.10", Mitchell said. "I probably would have seen that it is not indexed. But the reality is, we have to agree. "You have the conservative Democrats, that we in some of our conservative areas, which not only have ready for indexing were."
As Maryland's more progressive wing Congressional want to see the minimum wage Democrats linked to inflation, a move that might seem outdated to future debates on the issue. You want to also address the Federal Republic inclined minimum wage of $2.13, since 1991, has not changed. The legislation Prime backers have said that both elements are non-negotiable. Republicans have but little interest in moving a minimum wage law is shown.
"Floor debate, I spoke with some of my Republican friends, they said $10.10 was high," said Mitchell. "I was, remember we had implemented a minimum wage, as she would be much higher than $10.10 on the cost of living." But that's the nature of politics sometimes. I'm glad that it $10.10. "And I hope the Federal Government with all going to hurt actually the bitterness."
