LANSING ? The Small Business Association of Michigan reported Friday that a petition drive will begin after New Year?s Day to place a Constitutional amendment before voters to raise Michigan?s minimum wage to $6.85 an hour in 2007.
SBAM and a coalition of other associations were successful at defeating a legislative proposal to increase the minimum wage to $7.15 earlier in 2005 Now proponents of the proposal are going to sidestep the legislative process and put the measure up for a statewide ballot.
The measure proposed would increase the wage to $6.85 for the first six months of 2007. After the six months the wage would constantly increase with inflation. The state?s current minimum wage is $5.15 an hour.
Labor organizations and the Democratic Party are beginning to collect the 350,000 signatures needed to put the constitutional amendment before the voters. The groups are pushing for a constitutional amendment as opposed to a ballot initiative which would require fewer signatures.
When voters approve a ballot initiative it still requires the approval of the legislature, however, once a constitutional amendment is passed by the voters it is constitutional law, which the legislature cannot change.
If you would like to learn how you can help fight this and other issues, please contact Paul Bukowski, Director of Political Involvement at [email protected].
