Legislators offer comments on passage of minimum wage bill

WILKES-BARRE — State Rep. Jim Haddock on Tuesday voted for legislation that would increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 per hour in 2026.

Haddock was joined by fellow Luzerne County Democrat Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, who noted that it’s been 16 years since the last minimum wage increase in Pennsylvania.

“It is past time for Pennsylvania’s lowest-earning workers to receive at least the same wages as their counterparts in surrounding states, all of which have higher minimum wages than we do,” said Haddock, D-Pittston Township. “The stepped increase in this bill would give the economy time to adjust as workers earn more. It’s also a good compromise if we have any hope of passing it through the Republican-controlled state Senate.”

The Pennsylvania’s Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2026.

The bill passed 103-100 with all but one Democrat voting for it and two Republicans joining them.

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is set at the federal minimum of $7.25, and was last increased in 2009.

The legislation would increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania to:

• $11 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2024.

• $13 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2025.

• $15 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2026.

“We even had bipartisan support on this bill,” said Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre. “Our workers have called on us as lawmakers time and time again to provide them a livable wage and I was proud to vote in alignment with that.”

Pashinski said there would be annual cost-of-living increases beginning in 2027. The bill would also set the minimum wage for tipped workers at 60% of the hourly minimum wage — which has been stuck at $2.83 per hour since the 20th century.

Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, said he believes the market, not government, should be allowed to set the minimum wage.

“The artificial inflation of salaries across the board is just going to lead to more devastating inflation that will only hurt Pennsylvania families who are already struggling to make ends meet,” Cabell said.

Rep. Alec Ryncavage, R-Plymouth, said he understands the need for individuals wanting to succeed and to earn more for the hard work that they do.

“But I also believe that raising the minimum wage is not the silver bullet solution,” Ryncavage said. “Most jobs — yes, even the jobs in Luzerne County — are already offering starting salaries above what is currently in law. Mandating an increase, especially one tied to the consumer price index, is a recipe for a budget disaster in future years.”

Ryncavage added that it’s important to point out that “minimum wage” is not synonymous with “living wage.”

“The two are separate and distinct,” Ryncavage said. “Jobs offering a minimum wage are for those entering the workforce or for retirees looking to keep busy. Raising the minimum wage is also going to have unintended consequences, especially for the family-owned, small business owners. These employers will need to decrease their workforce because they will be unable to retain a full staff complement, and they will need to raise their prices on goods and services, passing these price increases onto their customers. All this does is create a vicious cycle and families will continue to struggle.”

Rep. Aaron Kaufer, R-Kingston. also voted against HB 1500.

“In the current business climate, many businesses are already setting their wages at a rate higher than the state minimum wage,” Kaufer said. “I believe the intent of the bill is admirable, but at the end of the day this will lead to higher costs of goods and services.

“At fifteen dollars an hour, our small businesses, who have been hit hardest by COVID, will be disproportionately affected, unable to pass on the costs to consumers, and be forced to close their doors.”

Rep. Dane Watro, R-Kline Township, said a mandated minimum wage is not the answer because it will likely result in thousands of lost jobs and higher prices for consumers.

“Instead, we need to focus on creating a stronger economy in Pennsylvania that supports family-sustaining careers,” Watro said. “Minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage, but a starting point for those entering the workforce.”

The legislation would also increase the tipped wage to 60% of the minimum wage from the current $2.83 an hour.