HELENA — Montana’s minimum wage could be increased to $12.06 an hour if a bill introduced to the House on Monday passes.
Rep. Kelly Kortum, D-Bozeman, introduced House Bill 484 to the House Business and Labor Committee on Monday. Supporters said the state’s current $10.55 rate doesn’t match the cost of living, but opponents disagreed and said the increase could increase inflation.
Patrick Yawakie, representing the Blackfeet Tribe, Fort Belknap Indian Community, and Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy, said a person working 40 hours a week on minimum wage makes just shy of $1,700 a month, the state’s average rent.
“Many of these Montanans who work hard are the backbone of many different industries in the state,” Yawakie said. “Providing this increase to minimum wage will provide a sense of security and support directly needed for working Montanans.”
But Brad Griffin, President of the Montana Restaurant Association, argued that legislation passed in 2006, which increases minimum wage yearly to account for inflation, does enough on its own and limits increased inflation.
“Minimum wage has been on autopilot for the last 18 years,” Griffin said. “Please leave it on autopilot and table this bill.”
Other opponents included both the Billings and state Chambers of Commerce.
Sarah Swanson, commissioner for the Montana Department of Labor and informational witness at the hearing, said approximately 4.1% of the state’s workforce makes minimum wage.
Clayton Murphy is a reporter with the UM Legislative News Service, a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Broadcasters Association, the Montana Newspaper Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. Murphy can be reached at clayton.murphy@umconnect.umt.edu.
