Legislators revisit parts of wage hike

Two members of the Arizona Legislature think voters should reconsider parts of the minimum-wage ballot measure they passed overwhelmingly less than two years ago.

A pair of resolutions that are moving through the Legislature would make major changes, including freezing the minimum wage and stopping further scheduled increases to it, eliminating mandatory sick leave, repealing provisions regarding employer retaliation, and prohibiting cities from having a higher minimum wage than is set by the state.

The effort brought several dozen protesters to the Capitol on Thursday. The protesters noted the margin of victory for Proposition 206, the ballot measure that raised the wage and guaranteed nearly all workers earn sick time.

The measure received support from 58 percent of voters.

“One-point-four million people voted for Prop. 206,” said Kevin Loera, an organizer with Living United for Change in Arizona, or LUCHA, which was a major proponent of Prop. 206. “The people of Arizona have spoken.”

The measures, if passed by the Legislature, would be placed on the November ballot. They don’t require the governor’s signature.

One, House Concurrent Resolution 2028, introduced by House Speaker J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, deals only with repealing a provision about employer retaliation.

Prop. 206 prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for using

their paid sick-leave time. Employers are presumed guilty of retaliation if an employee is disciplined within 90 days of using paid sick leave.

That’s what Mesnard wants to change.

“The biggest piece (of Prop. 206) was minimum wage, and I’m not interested in revisiting that. The sick leave — I’m not interested in revisiting that. I’m not even interested in revisiting retaliation,” Mesnard said. “All I’m after is letting voters decide whether or not we should keep the presumption that businesses are guilty within 90 days. The deck is stacked against the business.”

The other proposal, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1016, introduced by Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, also repeals retaliation protections but goes much further with the additional changes.

Allen couldn’t be reached for comment on her proposal.

What Prop. 206 did

Voter approval of Prop. 206 increased the minimum wage to $10 an hour on Jan. 1, 2017, and $10.50 an hour this year. It is scheduled to increase to $12 an hour by 2020 and then further increase each year with the cost of living.

It also mandated that nearly all workers accrue and can use sick pay.

SCR 1016 would lock in the minimum wage at $10.50 per hour, among the other revisions.

Some opponents predicted that the measure would have a negative effect on employment.

The unemployment rate in Arizona has dropped from 5.2 percent when the new wage took effect to 4.8 percent in January, according to the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.

‘I can pay my bills on time’

In addition to LUCHA, other groups attending the rally included the United Food and Commercial Workers, Leading for Change and Planned Parenthood.

They also delivered letters to Mesnard’s office.

Thursday also was International Women’s Day, and Raquel Terán — who is running for the Legislature to represent parts of west Phoenix and Glendale — noted how Prop. 206 can affect women.

“Paid sick days will allow victims of domestic or sexual abuse and stalking to take days off to go to court,” Terán said. “It should be unconscionable ... for the state Legislature to change the will of the voters.”

Mariana Dominguez, a worker at Wendy’s, said Prop 206 has made her life better.

“I can pay my bills on time and start paying for my children’s education,” Dominguez said.