A new proposed bill in the New York State Legislature calls for a statewide minimum wage.
If passed, the Upstate Parity and Minimum Wage Protection Act would establish a statewide minimum wage floor of $17 per hour by the year 2026. Current law sets two separate minimum wages for upstate New York and downstate; as of January 1, minimum wage in New York City and some of its suburbs is $16 per hour, while in the rest of the state, the rate is $15 per hour.
Advocates for the proposed legislation say the current law leaves upstate workers behind. Those who oppose the bill say it doesn’t make economic sense. We explore the issue from various perspectives.
Our guests:
- Kent Gardner, former chief economist at the Center for Governmental Research
- Tsedeye Gebreselassie, director of work quality at the National Employment Law Project
- Leon Miller-Out, owner of Singlebrook Technology in Ithaca
- Frank Kerbein, director of the Center for Human Resources at The Business Council
