Amid labor advocates calls for the Long Beach’s city government to raise the minimum wage for the city’s employers to $15 by 2020, a group representing local business organizations has called for what would essentially be a compromise $12.50 wage.
The Long Beach Council of Business Associations, which according to its website represents business improvement districts, created to improve various commercial areas across town, released its proposal as Long Beach officials approach a decision on whether to follow the examples of other jurisdictions, including the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, that have already taken steps to raise minimum wages within their jurisdictions to $15 an hour by 2020.
Jeremy Harris, senior vice president of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, presented the business group’s requests Monday during a meeting of Long Beach’s Economic Development Commission.
He said Long Beach does not necessarily have to follow in the footsteps of other communities.
“Momentum alone should not be reason alone,” Harris said.
In addition to asking for the wage to be raised no higher than $12.50 by 2020 — which would include the value of benefits — businesses are also asking for a one-year delay for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees and a two-year delay for nonprofits.
Businesses are also asking that employees younger than 21 to be paid the state’s minimum wage, which is set to increase from $9 to $10 an hour when the new year begins.
Harris told commission members business owners would prefer neither wage go into effect, but said a $12.50 minimum is more palatable.
Commissioners allowed Harris to speak at length Tuesday, although the business group’s presentation was not explicitly advertised on the night’s agenda.
One commissioner, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13 President Bobby Olvera Jr., said during the meeting it wasn’t fair for commissioners to spend so much time listening to the business group’s views without having given equal time to the Los Angeles-based Economic Roundtableto present findings more favorable to the prospect of a $15 wage.
“The reports are polar opposites,” he said.
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. has also produced a study forecasting the pros and cons of a higher minimum wage for Long Beach.
The commission is not scheduled to make a formal recommendation to the council on a minimum wage level until Jan. 6.
The City Council may face a decision on raising the city’s minimum wage later in January.