As a candidate for House District 5, Whitefish, I am in support of increasing the minimum wage to the level of $11/hour subsequent to the next legislative session, one year from now. What is an appropriate minimum wage for a westernized and economic powerhouse like the United Sates? In comparing 10 highly developed peer nations with established minimum wages ranging from a low of $5.76 in Spain to $15.58 in Australia, the median sum with inflation built in for 2016 equated to $11/hour. Some nations such as Denmark, Finland and until recently Germany paid varied amounts based upon occupational sector wide agreements between employers and trade unions, establishing industry wide standards (Finland and Denmark currently yield about $18/hour and were not included in the 10-nation survey). In 2014 the German Bundestag adopted a national minimum wage at $11.28/hour.
In a recent study from the University of Chicago, 42 of the nation’s most prominent economists were polled on whether increasing the minimum wage to a phased in $15/hour would reduce employment of low wage workers. The study reveals that many of the participants in the survey are uncertain (38 percent) of the results followed by a slim margin agreeing with the demise of employment by a 26 percent to 24 percent margin.
I’ll place my confidence and subsequent bias with the German decision to endorse the minimum wage. This vibrant economy has been a global juggernaut. Here in the Flathead Valley, many hard working people struggle to pay bills and make ends meet. While conservatives point to an increase in the Earned Income Credit as the alternative to an increased minimum wage, I believe both an increase in the credit and a more substantial minimum wage will boost incomes of those most in need. Hard working people like CNAs who watch over our senior citizens, non-tipped fast food workers and box store workers, need that boost.
In the 2015 session two minimum wage bills were contemplated. House Bill 386, by Representative Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, failed in committee. An attempt to blast the bill out of committee failed on a partisan vote of 59-41. The issue of the minimum wage clearly separates Republicans and Democrats with the former showing no inclination to raise the wage.
The lowest minimum wage in the world? This appears to belong to Bangladesh at 9 cents/hour. Let’s vote in people willing boost the wages of our most vulnerable members of the work force.
Dave Fern, Democrat
Candidate, House District 5, Whitefish