As two initiatives to raise California's minimum wage inch closer to the November ballot, business groups have formed a coalition to fight them.
A brand-new campaign committee called California Consumers Against Higher Prices is a coalition of a few dozen groups, including the California Restaurant Association, the California Hotel and Lodging Association, the California Manufacturers and Technology Association and the Chambers of Commerce in Los Angeles, Fresno and San Diego.
“These measures are flawed initiatives that have too many unintended consequences,” said Jot Condie, president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association.
One initiative to raise the minimum wage, backed by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, calls for an increase of $1 each year until it reaches $15 in 2021. The other would raise the wage to $15 by 2020 and require employers to allow workers to take six paid sick days a year. The SEIU-UHW-backed measure appears to have the most momentum and expects to qualify for the ballot in less than two weeks.