Seattle’s $15-per-hour minimum wage will hurt workers

by Dustin Hurst  | Northwest Watchdog

Kshama and crew — well-funded big labor unions — sold the plan on the idea it would help workers close the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Has it worked in SeaTac, a tiny Seattle suburb that adopted $15 per hour months ago? It has not.

In a follow-up piece in the Asian Weekly, a handful of workers voiced this displeasure of the new wage’s unintended consequences:

“Are you happy with the $15 wage?” I asked the full-time cleaning lady.

“It sounds good, but it’s not good,” the woman said.

“Why?” I asked.

“I lost my 401k, health insurance, paid holiday, and vacation,” she responded. “No more free food,” she added.

The hotel used to feed her. Now, she has to bring her own food. Also, no overtime, she said. She used to work extra hours and received overtime pay.

What else? I asked.

“I have to pay for parking,” she said.

Another SeaTac worker, a waitress, said her tips dropped sharply after the new wage law took effect.

Read the full story on NWWatchdog.org