A campaign led by minimum wage workers has lawmakers in Seattle considering raising the minimum wage in the city from $9.19 an hour to a robust $15 an hour, according to the Associated Press.
The state of Washington's minimum wage of $9.19 an hour is already the highest in the nation while the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Assuming that workers are able to get scheduled for 40 hours a week, many service industry employees are not, they will still make barely enough money to live over the poverty line, according to the Associated Press.
Advocates of a higher minimum wage, such as venture capitalist Nick Hanauer, argue that more money in the hands of workers will help revive the economy.
"A higher minimum wage is a very simple and elegant solution to the death spiral of failing demand that is the signature feature of our economy," Hanauer told the Associated Press.
Randel K. Johnson, vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits for the U.S. Chamber of Congress, argued against a hike in minimum wage by saying that businesses would be unable to provide new jobs with a higher wage, according to USChamber.com.
"The fact remains businesses and workers will be losers under this proposal [for a higher minimum wage]," Johnson said. "The majority of economists agree that raising the minimum wage kills job creation. Placing this burden on small businesses will stifle our economic growth."
Economist Chris Benner of the University of California at Davis told the Associated Press that he believes that raising the minimum wage would not lead to job losses. Benner told the news service that the higher wages will lead to more spending which, in the long run, will lead to more job creation in order to meet demand.
A study that compared the minimum wage in the United States to that in other countries around the world found that the United States offers a wage that was right near the middle of the pack. While it is far below the minimum wage offered in Australia, $16.88, it is a far higher rate than the $0.97 hourly rate offered to Russian workers, according to Business Insider.
