Why Are Rhode Island Democrats Blocking Minimum-Wage Increases?

http://www.thenation.com/article/180198/why-are-rhode-island-democrats-blocking-minimum-wage-increases


Providence residents protest the state's effort to squash their minimum wage campaign. June 10, 2014. (Photo courtesy of Steve Ahlquist)

Early Tuesday evening, hundreds of Providence workers, activists and city officials gathered in Rhode Island’s capitol rotunda to protest four lines of text added to the state budget at the very last minute by Democrats on the House Finance Committee.

The amendment, which passed through the finance committee last Thursday, would prohibit municipalities in Rhode Island from establishing their own minimum-wage laws. The Providence city council is currently considering an ordinance that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for employees at large hotels. Other cities around the country like Seattle, San Francisco, and Santa Fe have passed or are considering minimum-wage hikes.

Among those assembled to protest the measure was Carmen Castillo, a hotel worker, union leader and Providence city councilwoman, who has been organizing for months to pass the minimum-wage ordinance. “This proposal attacks all Rhode Island cities and towns,” she said. “It would strip us of our power to represent our communities. What power will they try to take from us next?”

City Councilman Luis Aponte, who emceed the statehouse rally, blamed “rich hotel owners who have deaf ears for those shoveling and cleaning” to keep their businesses running.