Rallies Begin as Legislators Discuss $15 Minimum Wage

Hundreds of low-wage workers and supporters plan to march and testify at the State House on Tuesday, as the Massachusetts Legislature begins hearing a series of bills that looks to raise the minimum wage to $15 for fast-food, retail store employees and home care. It would also codify fair scheduling practices and up the pay for tipped workers.

Sparked by the Wage Board for fast-food workers in New York in 2012 to raise wages for cooks and cashiers, and increases in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle, groups are mobilizing in Massachusetts.

Coordinated by Raise Up Massachusetts, ralliers plan to meet at 11:30 a.m., ultimately marching at 2:30 p.m. starting from the State House steps to MCDonald’s.

Legislative bills to be considered during the hearing include:

• $15 Wages for Employees of Large Retail and Fast Food (H1773, S1024): Raises wages of large retail and fast food store employees to $15 an hour over 3 years.
• Just Schedules Bill (H1708, S1973): Encourages employers not to make changes to employee’s schedules on short notice and pay them at least 4 hours when they are called into work.
• Tipped Worker Bills (H1702, S982): Eliminates the separate minimum wage for tipped workers (currently just $3.00 an hour) and raises tipped workers’ wages in increments over 5 years. 7 states now pay the full minimum wage to tipped workers.
• State Living Wage (H1762, H1737, S987): Raises wages of state employees, employees of state contractors, and employees of companies getting state tax breaks to $15 an hour over 4 years.
• $15 Wages for Private Agency Home Care Workers (H2382, S730): Raises wages of private agency home care workers to $15 an hour over 3 years.

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