HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A bill to raise Hawaii’s minimum wage is facing an important deadline this Friday.
Supporters rallied in events across the islands to urge lawmakers to agree on a final version by Friday. If they do not agree on terms, the measure will be killed. The sticking point has been how much the raises will be and how fast they will be implemented.
The last minimum wage increase was four years ago to its current rate -- $10.10 an hour.
For many working class families, that’s not enough to make ends meet -- especially with the higher cost of food and housing.
“When you pay people higher wages, they put it back into the economy, so what I would say to business owners is don’t panic. People are already paying $15 an hour, some businesses are already paying $17, and it hasn’t hurt their business,” said Christy MacPherson of Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, which organized the rally.
If passed, employers would need to pay workers at least $12 an hour by October... in 2024, it would be raised to $15, and then $18 by 2026.
But small business owners argue the raises are too much too fast -- especially when they’re trying to recover from the pandemic.
“Businesses are suffering from the same problems as everyone else, the cost of doing business, just like the cost of living is really high,” said Jimmy Chan, owner of Hawaiian Chip Company.
Business organizations suggest a more gradual approach -- a raise to $11 in January and then bumping it by...
NC said on the 7th that it filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul against the operator of the YouTube channel "Yeongraeggi" on charges including spreading false information and...