By Bob Salsberg
Associated Press (AP), April 14, 2018
BOSTON — Democratic legislative leaders and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker are hoping to reach deals that would keep some prospective ballot questions from reaching voters in November, but they're running short on time and their bargaining clout appears limited.
One initiative petition filed by Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition that includes unions, community activists and clergy, would gradually raise the state's minimum wage from the current $11 an hour to $15 an hour by 2022. It would also raise the hourly sub-minimum wage for tipped workers, such as restaurant workers, from $3.75 to $9 in that same period. ...
They also point to Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a national group of employers that has supported efforts to raise wages for the lowest-paid workers in several states.