After hours of public testimony and debate that went past midnight on Tuesday, the Santa Monica City Council decided to hold off on creating a citywide minimum wage until at least December.
The council appeared in broad agreement that the city should adopt a wage floor of $15 an hour by 2020, which would reflect the one approved by the L.A. City Council earlier this year. The council also was unanimous in supporting an exemption for unionized employers, which would create an incentive for non-union firms to allow collective bargaining.
The L.A. City Council rejected such an exemption, which many business groups have labeled as hypocritical. But true to the city’s reputation, the Santa Monica council is taking a more pro-labor stance…