Senate Republican candidate Steve Garvey said California’s “minimum wage is where it is and should be” regarding a recent law that established a $20 an hour minimum wage for fast-food workers.
“Minimum wage is where it is and should be,” Garvey, a former professional baseball player, said during a debate Monday evening. “If you look at what California has done to fast-food franchises right now, increasing the minimum wage to $20. Then what’s going to happen? That’s going to increase costs for hard-working Californians to go to a franchise.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) signed a law in September to increase the minimum wage to $20 an hour for California-based fast-food workers at chains with 60 or more locations nationwide. The minimum wage in California overall stands at $16 an hour, rising from $15.50 last year.
Ahead of the new state law, hundreds of Pizza Hut franchises in California announced layoffs of delivery drivers. The operator of four Fatburger restaurants in Los Angeles told Business Insider last month that raising menu prices, implementing a hiring freeze, reducing vacation time, and cutting back employee hours are all options he’ll consider when preparing for the new law to go into effect.
“Instead of a Big Mac for $9, it’s going to be $15,” Garvey added.
In stark contrast, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) suggested $50 an hour as the federal minimum wage last year, a stance she didn’t back down from on Monday evening.
“In the Bay Area, I believe it was the United Way that came out with a report that very recently [said] $127,000 for a family of four is just barely enough to get by,” Lee said. “Another survey very recently: $104,000. For a family of one, barely enough to get by low income because of the affordability crisis.”
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In past debates, Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) has said she’d like to see a $20 minimum wage at the federal level and $25 in California, while Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the clear front-runner, agreed with a $20 minimum wage.
“We’re talking about $20, $25 — fine. But I have got to be focused on what California needs and what the affordability factor is when we calculate this wage,” Lee said, defending her high suggestion.
