Here’s what is happening…
City employees’ minimum wage may increase to $22 per hour after the Austin City Council voted to approve a resolution by the city manager to increase their wages.
On Thursday (June 16), during a meeting city workers said an increase in minimum wage was imperative given rising inflation.
The resolution requests that the city manager develop a plan and timeline to increase the city worker’s current minimum wage of $15 per hour to the proposed $22 per hour.
According to a report by Fox 7, a city spokesperson had confirmed the increase was a result of inflation.
The spokesperson stated, “Providing a living wage has been a continued priority for our stakeholders and our city staff. The recovery from the pandemic and unprecedented rising costs of living have emphasized the need to accelerate the timeline to increase the living wage.”
However, according to a report, if the increase isn’t feasible in the 2023 budget, city workers’ minimum wage would b increased “by the most significant amount possible.”
The same report revealed that most city workers, including those working for companies contracted by the city, would be eligible for the increase.
Whether the minimum wage will increase to $22 per hour will only be revealed when the city manager will present the 2023 budget in July.
The Austin City Council, during the same meeting, also approved a resolution to “explore every option” to allow the city to raise the minimum age to buy an AR-15-style weapon or other semi-automatic weapons.
