COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Ballot Board certified on Monday proposed language for a constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage. The initiative is being led by One Fair Wage.
“When workers are working in a place that they feel they are respected and treated as professionals and given an equitable wage, then they stay with the business longer,” co-organizing director of One Fair Wage Maricela Gutierrez said.
The proposed constitutional amendment would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026, (https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/ballotboard/2023/rasie-the-wage-ohio—petition-third-submission.pdf) but the proposal is already garnering pushback.
“To push this $15 an hour which is outrageous and so out of touch,” small business attorney and owner Mehek Cooke said. “It’s truly going to devastate the economy.”
“Ohioans are so ready for $15, past ready for $15,” Gutierrez said. “Not only are workers saying it. but also if you look at the cost to live in Ohio, it’s already over $15 and that’s if you don’t have any dependents.”
Opponents said the market should drive what employers are paying employees, considering things like inflation. Cooke said this mandate could encourage unlawful behavior.
“You’re going to drive this underhanded market where people are not going to want to follow the law,” Cooke said. “Some may say I am going to pay you under the table if you want to work here. So, this is not what we should be advancing, this isn’t appropriate, mandates...
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