Proposition 32 will allow voters to decide on $18 minimum wage for all California workers

CALIFORNIA – California voters will get to decide, November 5, on Proposition 32, a measure that raises the minimum wage to $18 an hour for all workers.

The current minimum wage is $16 an hour in California and adjusts for inflation. Fast food workers make $20 per hour and health care worker’s wage will eventually increase to $25 per hour.

According to Ballotpedia, for the Minimum Wage Initiative, a “yes” vote supports increasing the state minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026 for all employers and thereafter adjusting the rate annually by increases to the cost of living.

59% support the increase

A University of Southern California (USC) poll taken in January asked would people support or oppose a ballot initiative to increase the state minimum wage to $18/hour?

The results were 59% in support of the increase, 34% against it and 8% undecided.

“The time is now, because the pandemic has heightened the people’s understanding of the realities so many Californians face. Cost of living is rising faster and faster…but wages haven’t increased commensurately,” said philanthropist and advocate for economic justice Joe Sanberg.

Sanberg funded the initiative with $10 million.

The initiative states that for employers with 26 or more workers, the minimum wage would reach $18 on January 1, 2025.

For employers with 25 or less workers, the minimum wage would reach $18 on January 1, 2026.

Who would work for less than $20?

A Reddit user in forum r/California_Politics asked who would work for less than $20 when you can go to any local fast food place and get that?

“What a useless law, employers have to pay more to their workers to retain them otherwise they go to McD’s,” said the person.

Another user replied that there are more minimum wage workers (3m) than there are fast food jobs (745k).

“Not everyone can get a fast food job,” said the user.

According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, an adult with no children in California requires a living wage of $56,825 or $27.32 before taxes in 2024 to make a living wage.

To read the full Living Wage Act visit https://thehdpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/21-0043A1_Minimum_Wage.pdf