NEW BEDFORD — City and school department workers making less than the state minimum wage of $14.25 an hour have the support of the City Council Ordinance Committee.

The committee voted to send a letter to Mayor Jon Mitchell and School Superintendent Thomas Anderson saying it is on the record that all city and school department workers never make any less than the state minimum wage.

Does it mean any city or school employee making less than state minimum wage — now or in the future — will get an automatic raise?

No.

David Gerwatowksi, attorney for the City Council, said the city does not have any say on wages for city employees who are under a union collective bargaining agreement. The same rule also applies to the school department and its union workers.

Lisa Lemieux, president of the Southeastern Massachusetts Central Labor Council, address the committee this week and referred to state law enacted over 20 years ago setting a state minimum wage. She believed that municipalities could vote to “opt out” of the legislation and believed New Bedford did just that.

She said those who are paid less than the current state minimum wage are not making a livable wage to keep up with inflation.

Lemieux asked the committee to reverse that “opt out” vote that she believed New Bedford took way back when.

Gerwatowski clarified that while municipalities do not have to adopt the state minimum wage amount, it must comply with the federal minimum wage amount currently at $7.25 per hour.

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