A Governor from Pennsylvania signed an executive order on Monday raising the mining wage of state government employees and state contracted workers. The wage on such jobs has been increased from $3 an hour to $10.15.
Just a year into his term, Democratic Governor Tom Wolf established the new wage minimum after a Republican-controlled Legislature froze budget from the Capitol building. Reuters reported that Wolf's decision will affect hundreds of state employees with positions ranging from part-time clerical to janitorial workers. Union officials confirm that the average salary of these employees were between $8.77 to $10.06 an hour.
ABC News reports that the order could also affect a narrow set of state contracts; perhaps around 109 contractors that provide services such as landscaping, delivery, janitorial, and food preparation. This number still does not include those in state universities, hospitals, and nursing care. 6 ABC reports that administration officials project the overall cost this decision would affect the state and its contractors to be a little above $4 million.
According to the report, the wage level was designed to coincide with the executive order, which President Barack Obama signed in 2014, requiring federal contractors to pay employees at least $10.10 an hour. The price will increase with inflation.
When asked why he has acted on this only now, Wolf responded that he had previously hoped for a change in state law to happen.
Unfortunately, top Republican lawmakers complained that Wolf acted on his decision alone as they have not considered an increase in the minimum wage. These lawmakers believe this action would bring up costs for the employers. Jake Corman, R-Centre Senate Majority Leader, was quoted in a statement saying that Wolf chose "to take symbolic executive action on this issue instead of working with the legislature underscores his failures to collaborate."
