City councilors on Monday voted against making Albuquerque’s minimum wage match the state’s minimum wage, but not before the discussion shifted to a debate over wage theft.
YES: Joaquín Baca, Tammy Fiebelkorn, Nichole Rogers
NO: Brook Bassan, Dan Champine, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis, Klarissa Peña, Louie Sanchez
Councilor Nichole Rogers originally proposed — at the request of Mayor Tim Keller’s office — at the last meeting to update the city’s minimum wage rate of $8.50 per hour to match the state’s minimum wage of $12 per hour. Albuquerque workers already earn $12 per hour by state law, but the proposed legislation would have ensured the city’s minimum wage adjusts with cost of living.
After Councilor Renée Grout moved to amend Roger’s proposal to lower the tipped minimum wage, the proposal was postponed until Aug. 19.
In a statement last week, Grout and Councilor Brook Bassan said they wanted to withdraw the measure to lower tipped minimum wage to find an equitable solution.
Read more about the issue here.
Despite the measure being taken off the table, nearly 30 residents attended the 6-hour meeting Monday to warn the council about the damage of lowering what tipped workers earn.
Rogers’ proposal would have also required the city attorney to initiate investigations into allegations of employers failing to pay an employee their owed wages or benefits — which she said the state has a “$1.3 billion problem” with.
Councilor Louie Sanchez, however, said he does not think the city should get involved in what the state is already doing.
“There is no need to have anything in reference to investigating wage theft because the state already does it and they do a good job on it,” Sanchez said. “I think we need to get rid of this bill and leave things the way they were.”
NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING:
WHEN: 5 p.m. Sept. 4
WHERE: Vincent E. Griego Chambers in the Albuquerque Government Center, 1 Civic Plaza NW
VIRTUAL: GOV-TV or on the city’s YouTube channel
Rogers countered that the state has a large backlog of investigations and the city should not leave it up to other entities to fight for employees and make sure their “wages aren’t stolen.”
Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn agreed with Rogers and said enforcement is one of the most important things the city should be doing, “which is protecting the lowest paid workers in our city from theft of their hard-earned money.”
Rogers’ initial proposal to update the minimum wage ordinance failed on a 6-3 vote Monday night.
In a statement Tuesday, Keller said his office was encouraged by the support for Rogers’ bill from the three councilors, and said it will be brought back to the table.
“We will keep fighting for workers and to raise minimum wage as prices increase so no one gets left behind,” Keller said.
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