Alabama GOP Blocks Minimum Wage Hike For Working Poor
March 14, 2017
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12:19Now PlayingAlabama GOP Blocks Minimum Wage Hike For Working Poor
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as posted by the channelTYT's Jordan Chariton spoke to Michelle Jones, a fast food worker in Birmingham, AL whose quality of life was impacted by the state governments' action to block her city council from raising the minimum wage.
Mike Cason reports for AL.com
A bill to block Alabama cities from setting their own minimum wages is now law. Gov. Robert Bentley has signed the bill, his office said.
The Alabama Senate passed the bill today by a vote of 23-11.
The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to raise the minimum to $10.10 an hour moving the effective date up from an ordinance passed earlier.
The bill's passage voids the ordinance passed in Birmingham, according to the city's legal department.
"It certainly is unfortunate and, if it stands up, it is a loss for those who deserve to earn a livable wage in the city of Birmingham and, for that matter, the state of Alabama," Council President Johnathan Austin said. "But the state obviously disagrees."
Birmingham officials have not yet said what, if any, recourse the city has.
"We will continue to work together to stand and fight for our citizens," Austin said.
The Legislature has the authority to preempt local ordinances, even those that are already in effect, said Mike Lewis, spokesman for Attorney General Luther Strange. Lewis was not commenting specifically on the minimum wage bill.
The Republican super majorities in the House and Senate put the bill on the fast-track as the Birmingham City Council raced to enact its minimum wage.
The bill sponsor, Rep. David Faulkner, R-Mountain Brook, said the state needs to maintain a uniform minimum and that Birmingham businesses were not given adequate notice for the change.
The Senate passed the bill today after Democratic senators spoke in opposition to the measure for about three and a half hours. The Senate voted 22-11 to cut off debate before passing the bill Thursday afternoon.
The governor's office sent out an email saying that the governor had signed the bill less than an hour after it passed.
The vote was mostly along party lines, but not entirely.
Republican Sens. Paul Bussman of Cullman and Bill Holtzclaw of Madison are listed as no votes on the Legislature's website.
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