 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chicagoland Chamber Remains Vigilant on Minimum Wage in Springfield and Chicago
| |
|
On Tuesday, December 2, 2014 during a special City Council meeting called by Mayor Emanuel, aldermen passed an ordinance to increase the minimum wage in Chicago to $13/hour by 2019. The vote was 44 to 5 with Aldermen Mary O’Connor, O’Shea, Reilly, Smith, and Tunney voting against the increase. The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce with the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, Illinois Restaurant Association, and Illinois Retail Merchants Association opposed the increase.
The Chamber diligently worked in opposition to prevent the originally-proposed ordinance calling for a $15/hour wage rate from advancing. Chamber staff participated in Mayor Emanuel’s Minimum Wage Task Force, attended every Council Committee meeting over the past 6 months, spoke at a press conference, wrote letters to the editors, and attended the veto session in Springfield to encourage statewide action on the minimum wage.
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce opposed the Chicago minimum wage increase for the following reasons: - Chicago neighborhoods that border a suburb will face direct competition for jobs, business, and new investment. These neighborhoods include Edison Park, Edgebrook, Rogers Park, Jefferson Park, Beverly, West Pullman, Riverdale, Mount Greenwood, Morgan Park, Garfield Ridge, Clearing, Austin, North and South Lawndale, Dunning, O’Hare, Norwood Park, Forest Glen, Portage Park, and West Ridge.
- Chicago workers will also experience a more saturated labor market as suburban workers come into Chicago for the higher paying jobs.
- A minimum wage increase will impact the consumer, as additional costs to business will likely have to be passed on to consumers in the City of Chicago.
- Increasing the minimum wage will continue to tarnish Chicago and Cook County’s reputation in the business community and among business leaders worldwide, all while providing an added incentive for businesses to look elsewhere when deciding where to grow or expand.
- Enacting mandates like this one will constrain growth and job creation by business. We support job growth, business growth, and a stronger and more competitive economy.
The Chamber maintains that a patchwork of wages across the state is not good for business or the state’s economy.
In Springfield the House adjourned on December 3rd without taking any action on the minimum wage. The House will reconvene when the next General Assembly is sworn in on January 14, 2015.
After the House had adjourned, the Senate passed an amended bill (House Bill 4733) that would raise the wage to $11/hour over a 4-year period (July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2019). It includes language to preempt municipalities from setting a minimum wage higher than the State, but grandfathers in the Chicago minimum wage of $13/hour. It also contains tax credits for some employers.
The Chicagoland Chamber will remain vigilant in Springfield on the issue of minimum wage and will monitor the situation and the impact of the minimum wage increase in Chicago.
| |
| Public Policy Committee
Mark Segal, Chair, STI Advisors LLC | Susan Sher, Vice-Chair, University of Chicago Hospital | Wes Lujan, Union Pacific Railroad | Ria Karnavas, UPS | James Kane, Kane & Co. | Anil Anuja, CCJM | Manny Sanchez, Sanchez Hoffman Daniels | Ira Azulay, Immigration Attorneys, LLP | Kevin Scanlan, MCHC | Robin L. Brown, Ingredion Incorporated | Pat Cermak, Wight & Company | Harry Seigle, The Elgin Company | Rick Bodnum, CME Group
| |
|
Public Policy Division
Elise Houren, Manager, Government Relations
312.494.6727
Chamber Policy Consultant
Joan Parker
Joan A. Parker Government Affairs
312.909.1313
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
410 North Michigan Avenue | Suite 900 | Chicago, IL 60611
312.494.6700 | ChicagolandChamber.org |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
