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Raising the wage won’t flip the Senate
September 2016 · Michael Saltsman · The Hill
Will minimum wage have maximum impact on this year’s election results? Labor groups like the National Employment Law Project (NELP) Action Fund hope so, and they’ve released new data from Public Policy Polling (PPP) to suggest that voters in seven battleground states are less likely to cast their vote for a candidate who opposes a substantial increase in the starter wage. Before campaign staff decide to rewrite… -
Trump’s Minimum Wage Alternative
September 2016 · Michael Saltsman · The Wall Street Journal
Donald Trump is no one’s idea of a traditional Republican, but his speech Tuesday showed the rank-and-file a better way to help workers at the bottom. Democrats pound the need to raise the minimum wage, which is a tricky political issue for the GOP. “Fight for $15” fits well on a protest sign, and it’s easy to paint opponents of a higher minimum wage as heartless, even… -
Recycling centers and the ‘domino effect’ of $15
August 2016 · Michael Saltsman · San Francisco Examiner
California’s rising minimum wage isn’t just creating hardships for small business — it’s also making life more difficult for the Bay Area’s poor. Signs of trouble appeared in late January of this year, when rePlanet (the state’s largest recycler) closed 191 of its recycling centers and cut jobs for 278 of its employees. A press release from the company pointed the finger at certain industry-specific factors, including… -
Sick leave mandate could force employees to work fewer hours
August 2016 · Michael Saltsman · Albuquerque Journal
The Albuquerque City Council is currently deciding whether to put a paid sick leave ballot initiative to city voters this Election Day. The proposal would require Albuquerque employers to offer up to seven days of paid sick leave each year to their employees. Proponents argue the measure is necessary to give people the option of staying home when sick without forgoing pay. “No one should have to… -
Look carefully for impact of Las Cruces wage hike
July 2016 · Paul Gessing and Michael Saltsman · Las Cruces Sun News
Its verdict: The wage hike has not had a negative effect on the Las Cruces economy. Proponents who led the heated 2014 fight to pass the controversial measure greeted the news as evidence that it has been a success. But a closer look at how the council staff came to its conclusion suggests that any celebrations should be put on hold. The council’s assessment was based on… -
The Fight for $15 Will Hit North Philly Hard
July 2016 · Mark J. Perry and Michael Saltsman · Wall Street Journal
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders may not be the Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, but his influence can be seen in the $15-an-hour federal minimum wage that is part of his party’s platform in Philadelphia. The direct and immediate consequences of a higher wage floor on the entry-level job market are well known: fewer jobs for fewer people. Less discussed are the longer-term adverse outcomes for young people who can…