By Matt Olberding
Lincoln Journal Star, Oct 25, 2022. Also Grand Island Independent, Scottsbluff Star Herald, North Platte Telegraph, Kearney Hub, Columbus Telegram, Fremont Tribune, Beatrice Daily Sun, York News Times, Sioux City Journal, more
There's disagreement over whether gradually raising Nebraska's minimum wage from its current $9 an hour to $15 an hour is a good thing. ...
Nebraska Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a coalition of more than 300 business owners and executives, has come out strongly in support of the $15 minimum wage.
“People can’t make ends meet on $9 an hour, and a minimum wage that low devalues workers’ time on the job," said Julie Sonderup, owner of Moose’s Tooth Outdoor Co. in Lincoln and a member of the coalition. "We pay more and employees know we value their work and time. Properly compensating employees leads to happier employees who are generally better at customer service. This leads to happier customers. And happier customers tend to spend more money.” ...
The National Employment Law Project estimated that about 150,000 Nebraska workers would get a pay increase if Initiative 433 passes, resulting in nearly $280 million more a year in their paychecks.
What's more, studies have shown that three-fourths of workers who would benefit from the increase are older than 20 and 61% are women. ...