NYT op-ed takes on Birmingham minimum wage hike
The New York Times posted an Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) by Lucas Guttentag on Monday, in which he takes on what he views as racial discrimination in the state to block Birmingham’s minimum wage hike. In 2016, the state legislature voted in favor of HB174 — also known as the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right to Work Act — a bill that would block cities from setting individual minimum wage rules. Then Governor Robert Bentley signed the bill less than an hour after the vote, effectively blocking the Magic City’s efforts. Fast food workers and civil rights groups acted quickly, filing a lawsuit, and arguing that the law was “tainted with racial animus’ since it was pushed by white suburban Republican legislators in the majority-white Alabama Legislature and disproportionately affected black workers in the majority black city,” the Associated Press reported. In July, a federal appeals court reversed a judge’s earlier ruling to dismiss the lawsuit, saying that “Alabama’s white-majority legislature had discriminated against the black-majority city in barring it from setting its own minimum wage,” according to CBS News. “As the case moves forward, it could provide similar cities with a legal road map for challenging this modern-day tool of racial subjugation,” Guttentag wrote in his Op-Ed. “These are the majority-black and -brown localities deprived by majority white state legislatures of the authority to enact local ordinances raising the wages of its residents.” “The court’s ruling is a victory for the more than 40,000 low-wage Birmingham residents who were robbed of a much-needed pay raise and who will now get their day in court,” Guttentag continued. “But more profoundly, this case — originating in a town where America’s history of racial violence faced some of its most pivotal confrontations — could now open the door for communities of color across the country to challenge racially discriminatory laws that deny localities the power to improve the lives of people of color.”
Mobile delegation opposes amendment to allow vote on minimum wage hike
The House Committee on Mobile County Legislation met Wednesday to discuss a slew of local legislation, including HB248 from Rep. Napoleon Bracy (D-Mobile). The constitutional amendment would allow Mobile citizens to vote on whether or not to raise the county’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. Bracy brought forth the bill in the form of a constitutional amendment in order to skirt around legislation passed earlier this session. HB174 from Rep. David Faulkner (R-Birmingham), also known as the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right to Work Act, was filed to thwart efforts by the Birmingham city council to gradually raise that city’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over three years. After being signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley, the bill effectively bars in Alabama city or county from raising its minimum wage. If passed, the amendment would have been voted on by Mobile County voters in the upcoming November election. At the time of the committee’s vote Wednesday, eight committee members were present. The four representatives who voted against the bill, causing voting to end in a tie and causing the bill to gain an unfavorable report, were Reps. David Sessions (R-Mobile), Victor Gaston (R-Mobile), Margie Wilcox (R-Mobile) and Jack Williams (R-Mobile). The four Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the measure. Because of its failure to garner a favorable report in the committee hearing, the bill will not be heard by the full House of Representatives.
State Senate OKs minimum wage uniformity, blocks Birmingham increase
The Alabama State Legislature is pushing back against cities hoping to set their own minimum wage standards. Thursday, the Alabama Senate voted in favor of HB174 — also known as the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right to Work Act — a bill that would block cities from setting individual minimum wage rules. The Alabama House already approved the bill. The measure was approved by a 23-10 vote, mainly on party lines. “Senate Republicans deserve credit for championing and affirming that free enterprise creates opportunity for all,” said Sen. Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia Hills), a sponsor of the bill. “By passing the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right to Work Act, we are protecting job creators from having to deal with dozens of different minimum wages and labor rules that would vary from city to city.” The bill, which went directly to Gov. Robert Bentley for his signature, prevents local governments from instituting a minimum wage and requires all cities and counties in Alabama to use the federal wage standards as a measure. In addition, the legislation cements Alabama as a right-to-work state by giving the Legislature alone authority to establish uniform employment policies and regulations of collective bargaining. “We want businesses to expand and create more jobs – not cut entry-level jobs because a patchwork of local minimum wages causes operating costs to rise. Our actions today will create predictability and consistency for Alabama’s economy, which benefits everyone,” Waggoner said. The Senate’s action comes amid a battle between Birmingham and the Alabama Legislature over minimum wage standards. Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to increase the city’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, effective the next day. In August, council originally had voted to begin the $10.10 minimum July 2017. Bentley signed the bill less than an hour after the vote, effectively blocking the Magic City’s efforts.
House Committee approves bill prohibiting cities from setting minimum wage
The House Committee on State Government met Thursday to discuss a bill from Rep. David Faulkner (R-Birmingham), HB174, also called the “Uniform Wage and Right-to-Work Act,” which will establish Alabama as a “Right-to-Work” state, prohibit local governments from establishing minimum leave, wages or other benefits for employees and would give the legislature authority to establish “uniform employment policies and regulations of collective bargaining under federal labor laws.” Faulkner noted that the bill has taken on unexpected importance due to Birmingham’s recent moves to increase its minimum wage to $8 an hour, with an eye for eventually increasing it to $10.10 per hour. “We all want jobs in this state,” Faulkner said. “We want this to be a business-friendly state climate. This bill does not set, it does not lower, it does not establish a minim wage. It says let’s maintain what we’ve always had in Alabama.” After Faulkner’s statements, a public hearing began with Michael Frank, member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Teamsters Rail Conference. “I’ve tried to read this bill,” Frank said, condemning the short notice given on the public hearing for the bill. “It doesn’t make any sense to me. Business-friendly is great, but what are we trying to create here? Citizens haven’t had a chance to respond to this. Business has, obviously they crafted this bill.” Chris Stewart spoke in favor of the bill, noting that a minimum wage hike would stifle hiring and, in doing so, would disproportionately affect people with intellectual disabilities who would be forced to get back on an ID waiver, therefore taking money from the general fund. Ricky Kornegan, a retired coal miner and mayor of Woodstock, spoke in opposition of the bill on the grounds that the state government should not oversee the decisions of city governments, noting widespread opposition to the federal government’s interference in state government. Otis McGuire, a representative from Piggly Wiggly, who has seen the effect of Birmingham’s wage hike in stores in the area, spoke in favor of the bill. “With this type of move, it would negatively impact us,” McGuire said of Birmingham’s wage increase. “It’s not a real complicated issue to us, but it comes down to that thin, thin profit margin.” Next to speak in opposition of the bill was Joe Keffer, a member of grassroots organization “Montgomery Needs A Raise $10.10,” which advocated for the minimum wage increase in Birmingham. “What they’re doing is speaking for the businesses, for the wealthy, for the big corporations,” Keffer said. “It puts people in poverty.” Last to speak in support of the bill was Bill Canary of the Business Council of Alabama, who said the bill was an issue in support of small businesses. “Today the minimum wage has become a political wage issue of the worst type,” Canary said. “The best weapon in the war on poverty is jobs.” After the public hearing concluded, Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham) and Rep. Darrio Melton (D-Selma) offered opposition to the bill. “I’m a business man and I talk business and I’m a successful business man and I don’t pay a paltry salary,” Rogers said. “It’s a polarizing bill. Y’all know we’re going to be fighting this bill.” “Big business is making money, the people working these jobs are not making money,” Melton said. “It’s about how we treat our brothers and sisters.” A roll call vote was taken and the bill received a favorable report along party lines. If the bill passes the full Legislature, Birmingham’s minimum wage hike will revert back to the federal minimum wage.
