Unions want to be exempt from minimum wage requirements

[esmith]

Let see if I have this straight. Unions were backers for increasing minimum wage for workers, but now they want to be exempt for these minimum wage requirements. Obviously something seems a little out of wack here. Just one excerpt from the article

Without leeway to pay a subminimum wage, he said, those companies could be outbid by nonunion shops that chose to ignore the new pay standards.

http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-union-exemption-20150726-story.html#page=1

 

[dust1n]

I tried to catch up there and got lost in the details. Why would a company be able to choose to ignore new pay standards?

 

[esmith]

I tried to catch up there and got lost in the details. Why would a company be able to choose to ignore new pay standards?

Good question. If it's the law it's the law. Me thinks someone has an agenda.

 

[Deidre]

Unions were once necessary, but they seem to abuse their ''power'' these days.

 

[dust1n]

Good question. If it's the law it's the law. Me thinks someone has an agenda.

Well, that's what I'm curious about. First of all, the article that not all (it doesn't quantify it) unions ever attempted to get this exemption, in places like Portland, etc. But the guy in LA was stating that they apply for it because otherwise they will be able to compete with companies that don't actually follow the guidelines. And so another minimum wage effects the union, because they follow the union to a T, while other employers don't and can be cheaper. I'm wondering who these companies are and how they can be cheaper by being exempt themselves.