LA Unions Demand Exemption from $15 Minimum Wage They Created

[Suzanimal]

If there was ever any doubt that LA’s minimum wage hike was meant to help the labor unions at the expense of everyone else, I hope we can now put that idea to bed.

The LA Times reports,

Labor leaders, who were among the strongest supporters of the citywide minimum wage increase approved last week by the Los Angeles City Council, are advocating last-minute changes to the law that could create an exemption for companies with unionized workforces. . . .

Rusty Hicks, who heads the county Federation of Labor and helps lead the Raise the Wage coalition, said Tuesday night that companies with workers represented by unions should have leeway to negotiate a wage below that mandated by the law.

"With a collective bargaining agreement, a business owner and the employees negotiate an agreement that works for them both. The agreement allows each party to prioritize what is important to them," Hicks said in a statement. "This provision gives the parties the option, the freedom, to negotiate that agreement. And that is a good thing."

Unions want to give workers and business the option — the freedom! — to prioritize what’s important to them and negotiate their own pay! Isn’t that nice. But only if those workers are paying union dues, and only if those businesses are using union labor.

The minimum wage hike was always meant to make independent workers more expensive and make unions look better by comparison. But it’s a bold move for the unions to simply say, in one breath, “Everyone deserves a living wage! It’ll be good for everyone! Except us, thank you. We’ll set our own pay — and also, give a break to any businesses who agree to go back to union labor.”

http://fee.org/anythingpeaceful/detail/la-unions-demand-exemption-from-15-minimum-wage-they-created

 

[alucard13mm]

That is fucked up... wow.

Btw, wouldnt this make illegal immigrants even more appealing to hire? Surely jose or juanita doesnt mind 7usd an hr while entitle mofo wants 15usd an hr for same.job.

 

[lib3rtarian]

That is fucked up... wow.

Btw, wouldnt this make illegal immigrants even more appealing to hire? Surely jose or juanita doesnt mind 7usd an hr while entitle mofo wants 15usd an hr for same.job.

It's about making it easier to persuade a shop management to let unions in. If the management has to pay a non-union worker $15, but a union worker only $10, then it becomes easier for the union bosses to convince a shop to go union, thus increasing union membership and union coffers.

What the unions are saying is that it allows them to negotiate a package where they might choose for more benefits in return for a low pay, but then my question is, why can't everyone else do the same thing, and why are you forcing everyone else to have to stick to $15? Because only you know how to negotiate your wages?

They think we are all dumb-asses.