Economy

Ohio Republicans Hate Minimum Wage

They hate minimum wage so much, they intend to alter the state's constitution. Because minimum wage is just too much to pay someone for doing the worst of jobs.

Republicans in the Ohio State Senate are pushing to weaken a minimum wage law that was enshrined in the state's Constitution in 2006.

A provision in the Ohio Senate GOP's omnibus budget measure aims to raise the eligibility requirements for beneficiaries of the constitutional amendment establishing the state's minimum wage at $6.85 per hour, slated to rise annually alongside inflation. The state's minimum wage has since been higher than the federal minimum wage. [...]

By narrowing the parameters of the constitutional amendment, Ohio's Legislative Service Commission concludes that the bill "may result in fewer individuals subject to the minimum wage."

From my understanding such a measure would primarily target teenage workers by making it easier to pay them less money, which I suppose is the next best thing given the general popularity of child labor laws. We can't repeal those. Yet.

I don't believe it's a coincidence that this comes on the heels of Governor John Kasich's signing of legislation weakening the collective-bargaining rights of unions. If you weren't among the people upset by that legislative face-slapping, you should be, because they will come for you and yours next.