State lawmakers are not likely to pass legislation this year that would boost Michigan’s minimum wage above seven dollars and forty cents an hour.
As The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher reports, Republican legislative leaders say they’re not eager to take up the issue.
Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville says the idea of boosting the minimum wage is misguided.
“It’s a firm ‘no’ for me,” he says.
State House Speaker Jase Bolger told the Michigan Information and Research Service this week that he’s skeptical about raising the minimum wage.
Bob McCann is a spokesperson for Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer. He says Republican leaders are ignoring the well-being of tens of thousands of Michigan workers.
“They should expect to be able to make ends meet for their families,” he says. “I think anyone is owed that when they put in a 40-hour work week.”
Supporters of boosting the state’s minimum wage are forming a ballot campaign to raise it somewhere between $9 and $10.10 an hour.