The Florida House just passed a bill that overrides local living wage and sick time ordinances, meaning that South Florida employees could take a 40 percent cut in pay.
Miami-Dade and Broward counties both have local laws that require companies who work with the county to pay a higher living wage than the statewide minimum of $7.79.
For 2012-2013, the living wage in Miami-Dade was set at $12.06 with a health plan and $13.82 without.
Rep. Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford) supports preempting local living wages, arguing that “Businesses … need to know they have consistency and stability in the environment in order to drive economic growth,” as reported by the Orlando Sentinel.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce and employers Walt Disney World and Darden Restaurants are big backers of the bill.
Meanwhile critics like Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs held that “The argument that we could balance our budgets on the back of the working poor just does not sit well with me,” at a press conference on March 21.
Then there are the stories of the workers trying to get by on their wages.
Click here for the story in Huffington Post
