One of the more contentious parts of the coronavirus relief bill proposed by President Joe Biden is a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage. It would be hiked to 15 dollars an hour over the next four years.
A few Detroit small business owners joined a group of demonstrators rallying for the pay increase outside of Democratic Senator Gary Peters' office yesterday [MON].
Lisa Ludwinski is the owner of Sister Pie bakery in Detroit. She says she recently got rid of the tip jar and increased hourly pay to a minimum of 17 dollars.
"With the pandemic, it was kind of a wakeup call for me as a business owner that I can't really wait and that if my business can't do that now, then I don't have a right to be in business," said Ludwinski .
The current hourly minimum wage in Michigan is 9 dollars and 65 cents.