Some opponents of Initiative 1433 to raise the minimum wage — including several newspaper editorial boards — have been trying to make the claim that lifting the minimum wage from $9.47/hour this year to $13.50 over the next four years is an “unprecedented” increase. It seems to be in some kind of anti-1433 opposition talking point. (They must think it makes them sound smart. Or maybe they're just kinda desperate?)
Because here's the reality: there is plenty of precedent for the minimum wage increase in I-1433. In fact, every single recent minimum wage increase at the state and federal levels back to 1977 raised wages by at least as much per year as I-1433 would. (And that’s not even mentioning Seattle and SeaTac.)
2016 - 2020: Initiative 1433 would raise the minimum wage 10.6% per year
Initiative 1433 would raise the minimum wage from $9.47 -> $13.50 over 4 years:
$9.47 -> $11.00 -> $11.50 -> $12.00 -> $13.50
That’s a 42.6% increase over 4 years, or about 10.6% a year.
1998 - 2000: Washington state minimum wage raised 13.1% per year
Eighteen years ago in 1998 Washington voters raised minimum wage by initiative, and it went from 5.15 to 6.50 over 2 years.
$5.15 -> $5.70 -> $6.50
That’s a 26.2% increase over 2 years, or about 13.1% a year.
Note that the 1998 initiative also contained something which was actually unprecedented at the time — an automatic inflation adjustment to the minimum wage. That turned out fine too. Funny how giving workers more is always supposed to be risky but giving CEOs more money is just how it is?
1988 - 1990: Washington state minimum wage raised 13.4% per year
Washington voters also raised min wage by initiative in 1988, it went from $3.35/hour to $4.25/hour over 2 years.
$3.35 -> $3.85 -> $4.25
That’s a 26.9% increase over 2 years, or about 13.4% a year.
So yeah — every recent minimum wage initiative in our state is a precedent for increase wages faster than Initiative 1433.
And the same is true for Federal minimum wage increases.
2006 - 2009: Federal minimum wage increase of 13.5% per year
The US minimum wage went from $5.15 to $7.25 over 3 years
$5.15 -> $5.85 -> $6.55 -> $7.25
That’s a 40.8% increase over 3 years, or about 13.5% a year.
1995 - 1997: Federal minimum wage increase of 10.6% per year
The US minimum wage went from $4.25 to $5.15 over two years.
$4.25 -> $4.75 -> $5.15
That’s a 21.2% increase over 2 years, or about 10.6% a year
1989 - 1991: Federal minimum wage increase of 13.4% per year
The US minimum wage went from $3.35 to $4.25 over 2 years.
$3.35 -> $3.80 -> $4.25
That’s a 26.9% increase over 2 years, or about 13.4% a year.
1977 - 1980: Federal minimum wage increase of 11.4% per year
The US minimum wage went from $2.30 to $3.35 over 4 years.
$2.30 -> $2.65 -> $2.90 -> $3.10 -> $3.35
That’s a 45.7% increase over 4 years, or about 11.4% a year.
So there you have it: literally EVERY recent state & federal minimum wage increase is a precedent for the I-1433 increase coming to your ballot. In fact every single one of these increases raised wages at a faster rate than I-1433 would.
And yet the sky remains aloft.
Time to give it up, trickle-downers.