LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) — Governor Rick Snyder waited until Friday afternoon, when it was likely to get less attention, to sign two controversial bills that water down petition initiative drives to hike the minimum wage and provide sick pay to workers.
John Lindstrom with the Gongwer news service says the original version hiked the minimum wage to $12 by 2022, this version put that off until 2030.
The Sick Pay measure would have allowed all workers to accrue up to 78 hours of sick pay per year. The new version reduces that to 40 hours, and exempts companies with less than 50 workers.
Snyder called them reasonable compromises.
A new poll conducted by the Benenson Strategy Group shows that 84% of the public prefer the original sick leave bill and 77% supported the minimum wage proposal.
Legal challenges are anticipated.
