There continues to be heated discussions over the federal
and state minimum wage in Georgia even though the Georgia General Assembly will
not convene until January.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest report
shows that in 2014 approximately 119,000 Georgians were paid at or below the
federal minimum wage with 57,000 at the minimum wage of $7.25 and another 62,000
paid below it. Together, this represents about 5.5% of the state’s hourly
workers.
On WABE’s Closer
Look radio program, Karen Bremer, CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association,
and Shannayl Connolly with the TM Restaurant Group, outlined their opposition
to increases in both the federal and state minimum wage, which currently stand
at $7.25 and $5.15 respectively.
The two spokeswomen insisted that the minimum wage should
be seen as only an entry level wage. Furthermore, Ms. Bremer asserted that in
the Atlanta market, entry level food service workers began at closer to $9.00
per hour implying that the average wage would be much higher for more
experienced workers.
Looking at specific occupations, in May 2014 the Bureau
of Labor Statistics found that for food preparation and serving occupations in
the Atlanta metro area, the average wage was $9.77 per hour.
Of the 16 occupations showing average wages, first line
supervisors had the highest average at $14.27, while dishwashers and host and
hostesses shared the lowest average rate at $8.62.
Looking at average wages for the occupations, 5 had
average rates below $9 per hour, 4 were between $9 and $10, and 7 paid an
average of $10 or better.
It is difficult to imagine how entry level wages could
begin at $9 in the Atlanta area for five occupations where the average wage is below
$9 and four more averaged less than $10.
Table.1. Average hourly wages for selected occupations in
food preparation and serving, May 2014
|
Occupation
|
Statewide Georgia
|
Metro Atlanta
|
|
Restaurant cooks
|
$ 10.82
|
$ 11.41
|
|
Short order cooks
|
9.66
|
10.22
|
|
Fast food cooks
|
8.72
|
8.80
|
|
Food preparation workers
|
9.74
|
9.97
|
|
Combined food preparation and serving workers,
including fast food
|
8.52
|
8.63
|
|
Dishwashers
|
8.59
|
8.62
|
|
Host and hostesses
|
8.56
|
8.62
|
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational
Employment Statistics, May 2014
Regarding Ms. Bremer’s assertion that minimum wage jobs
were entry level positions, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that
nationally about half of workers earning at or below the minimum wage were age
25 or older, contradicting the perception that the minimum wage mostly affects
teenagers and those just starting out in the labor market. No similar age data
are available specifically for Georgia.
Advocates in Georgia continue to push to raise both the
state’s and the nation’s minimum wage
The Atlanta
Progressive News reports that an “Atlanta People’s Wage Board” met in
October to take testimony on raising the minimum wage. While styled after the
New York board formed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the Atlanta board was
strictly an unofficial body wanting to focus attention on increasing the minimum
wage rather than a fact-finding panel.
State Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) discussed Georgia House
Bill 8 that would increase the minimum wage to $15, and eliminate exemptions
that allow some workers to be paid below the current minimum wage, such as
tipped employees. The Senator indicated that he plans to introduce a companion
bill in the Georgia Senate in the next session of the legislature.
HB 8 was introduced in the Georgia House of
Representatives by State Rep. Dewey McClain (D-Lawrenceville), who is President
of the Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council, but the bill has not yet received a
hearing.
This discussion is sure to continue into the 2016
legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, but the discussion will
not be helped if assertions cannot be backed with statistically useful
information.
A true fact-finding panel might shed light on the matter.
