Protestors gather to voice support of minimum wage bill
–By Dick Mason and Skye Ravy
Photo by Dick Mason.
Katcho Achadjian feels the increased minimum wage would create unfair burden on small business
–A group of about 20 protestors demonstrated outside the office of Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian Thursday morning. They’re upset that Achadjian did not show support for a bill which would make $15 an hour the minimum wage in California over the next six years.
Earlier today, it was announced that Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. will join supporters from across the state on Monday in Los Angeles to sign the legislation, passed by both houses of the legislature Thursday.
Achadjian feels the increased minimum wage would create an unfair burden on small business. He says it would force employers to eliminate jobs and make it harder for young people to enter the job market.
“I opposed SB 3 because while I agree some people will receive an increase in their earnings,” said Achadjian. “I fear many more will see their hours reduced or jobs eliminated completely. I do support increases when they are based on cost of living adjustments, but we have seen many bills that don’t factor in the diverse workforce or regions in California. One of my main concerns is that there are no exemptions for training periods or for employees who make tips and commissions. Many small businesses are often required to be over staffed while training new hires. This legislation will force businesses to think twice about hiring new and inexperienced employees. There are areas of the State with double digit unemployment and this will hit them especially hard. Just in the past year, the Governor’s own Department of Finance stated that a minimum wage increase would lead to slower employment growth and slower personal income growth. Instead, our focus should be on creating better and higher paying jobs.”
Democratic Congressional candidate Salud Carbajal responded, saying, “As the son of a farmworker who worked hard supporting our family while we lived in public housing, I know how difficult it is to live paycheck to paycheck. It is fitting that today, as we celebrate the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez, the California State Legislature took a historic step to raise the minimum wage. I am proud to be a Californian today and in Congress I will continue to advocate for hard working families and for raising the federal minimum wage. No one who works full time should live in poverty. I am disappointed that Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian voted against raising the minimum wage. He has put himself on the wrong side of history.”
Carbajal and Achadjian are running for the seat that Congresswoman Lois Capps will leave vacant, which encompasses Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and part of Ventura County. Also running for the seat: Democrat Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, Republican Justin Fareed, and Democrat William Ostrander.
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