Lack of regard for low-wage earners
It would be easy to blast the Republican-led Tennessee General Assembly for once again meddling in Memphis and Shelby County’s business, this time regarding a city and county laws that seek to pay workers a living wage.
We’ll refrain from doing that, but we will question whether state lawmakers actually have the interests of the state’s lowest-paid wage earners, those who struggle hardest to put food on the family kitchen table and keep the lights on, at heart.
A bill approved by the GOP-controlled House and Senate over the past two weeks bans cities and counties from requiring contractors and vendors and other local businesses to pay employees more than what is required by state or federal law.
Unless Gov. Bill Haslam casts an unexpected veto, the bill will block enforcement of city and county living wage ordinances on all new city/county contracts or existing contracts when they are renewed unless federal or state law specially allows it. The bill also bans local governments from: Requiring businesses to establish a leave policy that deviates from the present four-month leave option for childbirth and adoptions.
Requiring a business to provide health insurance benefits to its employees beyond federal law.
Enacting a wage-theft ordinance or regulation that exceeds state and federal laws, a clear shot at the some members of the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commission, who unsuccessfully pushed for a wage-theft ordinance.
Republican sponsors of the bill said, among other things, it would free businesses from expensive regulations that stunt job growth, especially for the unemployed.
Regarding the living wage, we have heard that thin argument every time the minimum wage was raised.
City officials said the living wage requirement is a little more than $10 an hour. That is some $400 a week before taxes and the usual deductions from the average paycheck. That doesn’t leave a lot of money for necessities like utilities, rent, food and clothes.
Greater Memphis has a preponderance of jobs that pay $8 to $12 an hour. It is one reason why the area’s poverty rate is so high.
State lawmakers earn $20,203 year, plus a $12,000 home office allowance they don’t have to account for, and they receive heavily subsidized health insurance. It is a sure bet that many of them would howl if there a was push to cut that amount or to reduce the home office allowance.
By passing the anti-living wage bill, lawmakers who voted for it reduced the chances of local workers, whose companies do business with the city and county, to earn enough money to adequately take care of their families if their employers don’t pay a decent wage.