Thu May 28, 2015, 01:57 PM

L.A. labor leaders seek minimum wage exemption for firms with union workers. Thoughts?

I'm inclined to give organized labor the leeway and benefit of the doubt to do this but I have to admit I am not a huge fan. The reason might be that labor might want to offer firms a slightly lower wage in favor of a bigger benefits package. I'd prefer that labor find other ways to collectively bargain that doesn't involve a lower wage.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-los-angeles-minimum-wage-unions-20150526-story.html

Labor leaders, who were among the strongest supporters of the citywide minimum wage increase approved last week by the Los Angeles City Council, are advocating last-minute changes to the law that could create an exemption for companies with unionized workforces.

The push to include an exception to the mandated wage increase for companies that let their employees collectively bargain was the latest unexpected detour as the city nears approval of its landmark legislation to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020.

For much of the past eight months, labor activists have argued against special considerations for business owners, such as restaurateurs, who said they would have trouble complying with the mandated pay increase.

But Rusty Hicks, who heads the county Federation of Labor and helps lead the Raise the Wage coalition, said Tuesday night that companies with workers represented by unions should have leeway to negotiate a wage below that mandated by the law.
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35 replies	Author	Time	Post
L.A. labor leaders seek minimum wage exemption for firms with union workers. Thoughts? (Original post)	stevenleser	May 2015	OP
Boo hiss	tularetom	May 2015	#1
Makes sense	HassleCat	May 2015	#2
That's what I'm hoping this is about.	Wilms	May 2015	#11
^^^THIS^^^	Omaha Steve	May 2015	#24
Bad idea.	hobbit709	May 2015	#3
What if they negotiated a $14/hr salary with a Cadillac health care plan that had no copays?	stevenleser	May 2015	#4
What are the odds? And even $14/hr is barely a living wage most places.	hobbit709	May 2015	#5
I believe Unions with Cadillac health care plans were oft talked about in ACA as an exemption	stevenleser	May 2015	#6
If that $40 a week is the difference between paying the rent or not.	hobbit709	May 2015	#8
It's not $40 a week... it's $40 a week plus union dues...	hughee99	May 2015	#12
I'll admit I'm not familiar with a whole lot of union deals,	hughee99	May 2015	#13
That's part of the negotiating that happens when Unions collectively bargain with companies	stevenleser	May 2015	#14
Yes, I understand this, but we're not talking about unions in general...	hughee99	May 2015	#15
If minimum wage becomes $15 an hour it becomes much more likely. There must be a reason	stevenleser	May 2015	#16
The real world application would be that if Unions can negotiate below minimum wage deals	hughee99	May 2015	#19
They could always theoretically have used that exemption. There must be something about	stevenleser	May 2015	#20
I think the higher the minimum wage gets, the more valuable that exemption is.	hughee99	May 2015	#21
Then let them get the law changed to specify a minumum of $15/hour _including_ benefits for anyone.	PoliticAverse	May 2015	#32
I understand the logic behind it.	peecoolyour	May 2015	#7
Agreed, the optics are horrible and Unions can ill afford to give their critics this kind of easy	stevenleser	May 2015	#17
It could be that there is a two tier system.	upaloopa	May 2015	#9
The key word is "negotiate"	cyberswede	May 2015	#10
This could be a very clever move on the unions' part.	KamaAina	May 2015	#18
This was my thought.	Exilednight	May 2015	#22
Why join?	MichMan	May 2015	#23
I honestly think the LATimes is ratfucking.	Starry Messenger	May 2015	#25
Agreed	kenfrequed	May 2015	#27
They've been bbqing the teachers union down there for years.	Starry Messenger	May 2015	#28
How the hell do we allow this?!	kenfrequed	May 2015	#31
Deceptive frigging headline.	kenfrequed	May 2015	#26
Yet another reason health care should be separated from employment. n/t	PoliticAverse	May 2015	#29
hell to the Yes!	kenfrequed	May 2015	#30
It's the headline from the LA Times word for word and letter for letter	stevenleser	May 2015	#33
I know it is	kenfrequed	May 2015	#34
If you are trying to "negotiate" sub minimum wages then you aren't a union	TheKentuckian	May 2015	#35

Response to stevenleser (Original post)

Thu May 28, 2015, 02:00 PM

tularetom (23,664 posts)

1. Boo hiss

Seems a pretty self serving position for "labor leaders" to take. Are they more interested in increasing their own power or helping the union members who pay their salaries?

L.A. labor leaders seek minimum wage exemption for firms with union workers. Thoughts?

1. Boo hiss

2. Makes sense

11. That's what I'm hoping this is about.

24. ^^^THIS^^^

3. Bad idea.

4. What if they negotiated a $14/hr salary with a Cadillac health care plan that had no copays?

5. What are the odds? And even $14/hr is barely a living wage most places.

6. I believe Unions with Cadillac health care plans were oft talked about in ACA as an exemption

8. If that $40 a week is the difference between paying the rent or not.

12. It's not $40 a week... it's $40 a week plus union dues...

13. I'll admit I'm not familiar with a whole lot of union deals,

14. That's part of the negotiating that happens when Unions collectively bargain with companies

15. Yes, I understand this, but we're not talking about unions in general...

16. If minimum wage becomes $15 an hour it becomes much more likely. There must be a reason

19. The real world application would be that if Unions can negotiate below minimum wage deals

20. They could always theoretically have used that exemption. There must be something about

21. I think the higher the minimum wage gets, the more valuable that exemption is.

32. Then let them get the law changed to specify a minumum of $15/hour _including_ benefits for anyone.

7. I understand the logic behind it.

17. Agreed, the optics are horrible and Unions can ill afford to give their critics this kind of easy

9. It could be that there is a two tier system.

10. The key word is "negotiate"

18. This could be a very clever move on the unions' part.

22. This was my thought.

23. Why join?

25. I honestly think the LATimes is ratfucking.

27. Agreed

28. They've been bbqing the teachers union down there for years.

31. How the hell do we allow this?!

26. Deceptive frigging headline.

29. Yet another reason health care should be separated from employment. n/t

30. hell to the Yes!

33. It's the headline from the LA Times word for word and letter for letter

34. I know it is

35. If you are trying to "negotiate" sub minimum wages then you aren't a union