JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The head of the state’s largest labor union say his organization would oppose any moves by lawmakers to raise the minimum wage ahead of a ballot measure.
The Juneau Empire reports (http://is.gd/iFwMUj) Alaska AFL-CIO President Vince Beltrami spoke to lawmakers Saturday during a joint hearing of the House and Senate judiciary committees.
Alaska votes will decide on the Aug. 19 ballot to raise the minimum wage, which is $7.75 an hour in Alaska.
The proposal would raise that to $8.75 on Jan. 1, 2015, and to $9.75 a year later.
But under Alaska law, if lawmakers pass a “substantially similar” law to a ballot question, the measure is removed from the ballot.
Beltrami says that’s happened in 2002, and lawmakers gutted the minimum wage hike a year later.
