Sunday, February 03, 2008

Strive For Increase In Alaska’s Minimum Wage

At the Capitol of Alaska, some lawmakers are striving for increasing the minimum wage of the workers of the lowest pay.

The federal government will increase the
federal minimum wage from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour nationwide effectively July 24, 2009. Juneau’s lone senator, Kim Elton, sponsored the bill of raising the minimum wage to which is higher than the federal minimum wage: $8 or an hour minimum wage for keeping pace with the inflation.

Elton said there are about 14,000 Alaskan workers earning a minimum wage. “That is especially difficult because Juneau is one of the more expensive cities in Alaska, so the challenges they face are great,” he said.

Elton said he understood the concerns of the business community, but still thought the wage increase was necessary.

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