LAT: Schwarzenegger, Legislators Strike Deal to Raise CA Minimum Wage

[DeepModem Mom]

Gov., Lawmakers Strike Deal to Raise Minimum Wage
By Marc Lifsher, Times Staff Writer
August 21, 2006

SACRAMENTO -- More than 1 million California minimum-wage workers will get their pay raised by almost 20% over the next year and a half, thanks to an agreement announced Monday between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders in the Legislature.

The hike, the first since early 2004, will lift the state minimum wage to $8 an hour from $6.75. Workers will get the first 75-cent increment on Jan. 1 and another 50 cents on Jan. 1, 2008....

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The jump to $7.50 on New Year's Day will make California's minimum wage the nation's fourth highest, trailing the states of Washington, Oregon and Connecticut, according to the California Federation of Labor. The federal minimum wage is $5.15 an hour.

"It's a long time coming, and frankly, the reason it's coming is because this is a political year," said Art Pulaski, secretary-treasurer of the labor federation.

He said Schwarzenegger, running for re-election in November, has twice before vetoed similar bills, but changed his mind this year as part of a election-year move toward the political center....

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-fi-wa...

[BushOut06]

1. Fuck Schwarzenazi

It should be obvious that this is nothing more than a political stunt to save his ass. The fact that he's already vetoed two minimum wage hikes should be proof enough.