DC Council OK's Minimum Wage Hike With CPI Indexing
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
The DC City Council
yesterday unanimously approved legislation that
would raise the minimum wage in
the District to $11.50 by 2016, one year
earlier than Montgomery and Prince
George’s counties (DC, MontCo and PG Vote to Raise
Minimum Wage 12/1 UC).
The DC bill also includes indexing the minimum
wage to the CPI, which was
stripped out of the MontCo and PG bills, though
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson
credited the Montgomery and Prince George's
Councils for leading the way on the
issue. Councilmember Tommy Wells said that
local activists had been
“relentless” in their quest for the wage
hike. “Sure it’s a victory,” said
Metro Washington Council president Joslyn
Williams, “but today is just the
first step. We have to keep fighting not just
for a raise in the minimum wage,
but a living wage for all those in this
city!” In another win, the Council also
approved a bill extending Paid Sick Days to
restaurant employees. Final votes
on the bills are scheduled for December 17.
photo courtesy DC-EJC