[Publib] Minimum Wage Increase

[Backwage at aol.com]

The  House of Representatives recently passed a bill to increase the federal 
minimum  wage; that increase, the first in almost a decade, would raise the 
minimum from  $5.15 to $7.25 per hour over a  two-year period.  The Senate  has 
voted against the bill, but passage in that house appears to depend upon the  
addition of tax breaks for small businesses.  In any event, nearly all experts 
in the  field believe that the bill will eventually be passed and the wage  
increased. 
The  effect of an increase in the minimum wage should be considered by 
library  managers well in advance of its occurrence.  Public employees are 
explicitly covered  by the federal minimum, and the instantaneous change in wage rates 
and  relationships calls for quick change, not only in wage rates but in other 
areas  of administration as well. 
Apart  from the simple increase in wages and the impact upon budget planning, 
other  significant elements to consider include the effect upon current 
collective  bargaining agreements, retirement and benefit contributions, and 
overtime  calculations. 
The  increase provides an opportunity for management to re-evaluate pay 
structures  and practices; within the collective bargaining milieu it offers the 
chance for  a constructive discussion of wages and classifications, with or 
without a  re-opening of the agreement.  The  time to act is now, before the wage 
increases become law. 
M.  McGrorty
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