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Brown, Labor Leaders Announce $15/Hour Minimum Wage Deal

Andrew Nixon
/
Capital Public Radio
California Gov. Jerry Brown hugs Burger King employee Holly Dias while announcing a plan to gradually increase the minimum wage at a press conference on Monday, March 28, 2016.

California Gov. Jerry Brown says he’s reached a deal with labor unions to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.  California would be the first state to approve a minimum wage that high.

Under the deal, California’s minimum wage would increase gradually until it hits $15 an hour in 2022 – with future increases pegged to inflation.

“I’m hoping what happens in California will not stay in California but spread all across the country,” Brown said.

Although Brown is a Democrat, he’s often sided with business groups on some of the California Legislature’s more liberal proposals. Not this time. Still, the deal calls for slower increases than two union-backed voter initiatives that were headed for the November ballot – and the unions now say they’ll stand down. So while business groups are criticizing the deal, it’s not clear how hard they’ll work to defeat it.

Gov. Jerry Brown's Office: Fact Sheet Boosting Californias Minimum Wage by Capital Public Radio

This story was produced by Capital Public Radio.

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