LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Republican majority in the State Senate is wasting no time pushing forward their most controversial pieces of lame duck legislation, essentially gutting voter initiatives that would mandate sick pay and raise the minimum wage.
They are drawing fire from Democrats who say not only does it defy the intent of the hundreds of thousands of citizens who signed petitions, but it may be unconstitutional.
Republican alterations to the One Fair Wage bill would eliminate a provision that pay’s waiters and waitresses less than $4 and makes them rely on tips.
The original proposal was to raise the minimum wage to $12/hr. by 2022 and have it increase by the cost of living each year after that.
The Senate alternative will push back the effective date to 2030 and leave it there, eliminating the cost of living adjustments.
Pete Vargas, campaign manager for Michigan One Fair Wage, contends it’s unconstitutional for the state Senate to turn around and try to amend it before the new Legislature is seated. “By adopting it with the intent to amending it in the same legislative session, we believe this tramples on the democratic process and undermines the rule of law.”
Vargas says they will challenge the constitutionality of the changes if they are approved.
The alternate sick pay proposal in the Senate would require a year of employment first and then would require 40 hours of work for each hour of sick pay earned, instead of the original requirement that it would be an hour for every 32 hours worked.
Another change would be to exempt firms with less than 50 employees, and would slash the maximum hours employers would have to provide workers from 72-hours per year to 36-hours.
It could also face a court challenge if approved as amended.
There is still a chance the Governor could veto the changes if some of the measures he wants are not approved by the legislature, including a ten-fold increase on landfill tipping fees, and a surcharge on water utility customers to fund lead and PFAS abatement.
