New Hampshire Minimum Wage Restricted By Republicans

New Hampshire legislators voted to override a veto by Democratic Gov. John Lynch on Wednesday, paving the way for a new law to restrict the state's minimum wage.

The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Carol McGuire and strongly backed by GOP leadership, automatically ties the state minimum wage to the federal minimum wage, assuring that New Hampshire's rate is as low as it can legally be.

With its minimum wage currently set at the federal rate of $7.25 per hour, New Hampshire is ensuring that it will continue to have the lowest minimum wage in all of New England. Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut all have state minimum wages between $7.40 and $8.25 an hour.

The fight over McGuire's bill led to some unusual stances for New Hampshire politicians. McGuire has been honored by the libertarian-leaning New Hampshire Liberty Alliance and enjoyed Tea Party support, yet she essentially argued that the state should defer to the feds when it comes to the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, the Democratic governor made a states' rights argument for killing McGuire's bill. Lynch said New Hampshire shouldn't relinquish its right to set its own wage rate.

The governor's spokesman, Colin Manning, told HuffPost that as a result of the law New Hampshire now "cedes state control and authority" to the federal government.

"New Hampshire has had a minimum wage law since 1949, and neither our citizens nor our businesses have called for its repeal," Manning wrote in an email. "There is no need to undermine our state's economic strategy or cede our state authority to the federal government, which is why the governor vetoed the bill."

Calls to McGuire and Republican House Speaker William O'Brien seeking comment were not returned.

But in a statement after Lynch's veto, O'Brien accused the governor of acting on "an anti-business philosophy" and "removing the 'open for business' sign" from New Hampshire by trying to maintain the current minimum wage flexibility.

"There is no reason for New Hampshire to set ourselves higher than the national average and make ourselves less competitive for these workers who need to gain experience," he said.

Opponents of McGuire's bill point out that the previous law did not set the New Hampshire minimum wage any higher than the federal rate -- it only gave the state the option to do so if it pleased. Also, New Hampshire does not appear to have suffered from a competitive disadvantage, given that the minimum wages in neighboring states were already set higher.

Several states have raised their minimum wage in recent years, but GOP leaders and business interests have assaulted some of those bumps as job killers. Missouri Republicans tried and failed to cap their state's minimum wage earlier this year. Then in May, a Florida federal judge ruled that a state agency had been illegally suppressing its minimum wage. And business groups in Maine have lobbied for the creation of a "training wage" that would let companies pay teenagers less than the state minimum.

The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour translates into a $15,000 salary for a full-time worker. Many economists now say that higher minimum wages can provide a boost to the sluggish economic recovery.

"Given the fact that minimum wage workers spend every penny they earn in their local businesses, a strong wage floor is also vital to stimulating the consumer spending necessary for real and lasting economic recovery," said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project, in a statement decrying legislators' override of Lynch's veto.

Earlier this year, Democratic Rep. Terie Norelli called McGuire's bill "just the beginning of what I think is a real assault on New Hampshire workers and wages and irresponsible legislation."

Last month, Lynch vetoed a bill brought forth by Republicans that would have converted New Hampshire into a so-called right-to-work state. The bill would prohibit collective bargaining contracts that require workers to pay union dues if they are not union members. It would make New Hampshire the first right-to-work state in New England.

O'Brien has said Republicans will try to override Lynch's veto of that bill in the fall.

Comments

[madasamarchare]

12:52 PM on 06/25/2011

I'm sure when they roll back the laws mandating a 40 hour work week, the Republicans will accuse Democrats of trying to limit people's income by dictating how many hours a week they're allowed to work.

Get ready for the repeal of 'age discriminating' child-labour laws, and 'job-killing' workplace safety regulations.

[Erik Corbett]

10:13 PM on 07/03/2011

At least in the NH ski industry 'seasonal workers' don't get paid overtime until they hit 56 hours a week. Not sure if its a federal or state law.

[La Bennett]

12:33 PM on 06/25/2011

The minimum wage is held to such lows that it can not be considered a living wage. It is literally below the federal poverty level. If two parents work at minimum wage, with 2 children, they are still eligible for some assistance, because even those people are at or below the poverty level. What we have done is moved the responsibility of a living wage onto the middle class. The federal government knows that minimum wage does not support a family. That is why a single mother can receive food stamps, CHIPS (childrens health insurance) for her kids, daycare assistance, etc... Then we also give them Earned Income tax Credits and Child Credits, and child care credits. This allows these families to actually receive more in tax refunds, than they paid in. Plus the subsidies. While this goes on, coporations push to keep THEIR out of pocket expense, payroll & taxes, as low as possible so that their executives get nice bonuses, an their stockholders make money. BUT and here is the kicker, all that support from the states and feds, has to come from somewhere. You guessed it, the middle class, and China. And NOW they want to cut all the help there is forcing people into shanty towns and starvation.
When is someone going to state these truths....

[Asimo727]

12:22 PM on 06/25/2011

Libertarians driving down wages...who could have guessed it.

[rottnkid]

12:22 PM on 06/25/2011

Eventually people will learn - especially when their pockets really get hit.

[tonedaf]

11:40 AM on 06/25/2011

Um, so why didn't the republicans just vote to lower the state wage to the same value as the federal wage. That way the state would have kept its competitive edge and its sovereignty. Not that it matters what New Hampshire does.

[Jerry Lammers]

11:35 AM on 06/25/2011

The current minimum wage is an abomination. To put all those who do work back into the Middle Class, the minimum wage needs to be raised incrementally to $20/hour over the next 5 years.

[mynameispaul62]

11:08 AM on 06/25/2011

OK, so let's get rolling on repealing those Child Labor Laws now.

[SanityFirst]

10:48 AM on 06/25/2011

Just another Republican move to ensure that the rich get richer while the poor get poorer.

[Recovering CPA]

09:33 AM on 06/25/2011

NH unemployment rate 4.8% vs. 9.1% for the US.
Still 1 of only 2 states without a general sales or income tax.
"Live free or die" is the state moltto.
Voted "most liveable state" for 5 consecutive years.

[tonedaf]

11:43 AM on 06/25/2011

Yeah and just watch route 93 south and north daily and you will realize all the cash is coming from jobs/tourism from Massachusetts. "Live free and leach" should be your motto.

[Erik Corbett]

10:17 PM on 07/03/2011

Over 40% of the state revenue comes from out of state sources. They brag in my town about how great it is that 2nd home owners pay property taxes here and don't use our schools or police. You can Live Free or Die, unless you want to open a liquor store. The state owns every liquor store in the state

[mcmutter]

09:24 AM on 06/25/2011

Republicans really do detest the middle and working class ......

Its amazing to watch them in action ....

[anti-phony]

09:08 AM on 06/25/2011

New Hampshire is run by the banking interests. They're strongly anti-union and very medieval in their thinking. Vested interests are well established in this very confused State.

[mcmutter]

09:25 AM on 06/25/2011

... I was in the bank yesterday ... and the teller was telling me how they wished they had a union .....

[Derrik Oates]

03:20 AM on 06/25/2011

So paying for healthcare is a NO. Funding Education is a NO. But ensuring a wage where people can provide for themself is also a NO. smh

We live in a world where some people are viewed as lesser men.

I shouldn't be surprised..... people die from starvation and lack of clean water every hr
.

[Erik Corbett]

10:18 PM on 07/03/2011

But cigarette should get cheaper now that the GOP has lowered the taxes on them by $.10 a pack!

[Vic22]

01:05 AM on 06/25/2011

Looks like their facade of being the party of states rights is crumbling. They are the party of big business and depressed wages. I'm sure if Nike wanted to make shoes out of fet.us leather, they would also be pro @bort.ion

[grknight4]

12:54 AM on 06/25/2011

I want to see a tea party lover to go and work for min. wage and try to raise a family, buy a house and live the American life.
SHAME ON YOU - GOLD SPOON FED FROM BIRTH - TRY TO WALK IN A MIN. WAGE PERSON FOR A WEEK.

[La Bennett]

12:45 PM on 06/25/2011

The problem there is that alot of the "tea party" fanatics are not gold spoon fed from birth. Look at many a TP gathering and what you have is a bunch of people who are led around by their ears through radical talking points. Many of the people at these rallies are whipped into a lather thinking someone is taking their guns (BTW-I want the right to my gun) or is taking their rights, or ruining their kids, etc...It is hysteria grown from ignorance. Many of these people are not even true middle class, and I would bet they even get child tax credits and even earned income credits, but they don't think that way. They just feel that they want things the way they "used to be", and that all these "liberals" are going to change things. They want to go back to the way it used to be, when we all had good jobs, and they don't realize that those very same candidates are supporting the businesses that have taken their jobs. Look at the south, and the loss of clothing, paper, etc.. industries. Yet the ignorant keep voting against their own interests, through manipulation.

[markopolio]

11:24 PM on 06/24/2011

Go team! Now let's get that minimum work age down to six