S.F. minimum wage rises to $9.79 in 2009

[one...two...tree 2,762]

San Francisco's labor force will get a small dose of good cheer in the New Year when the city's minimum wage climbs 43 cents to $9.79 an hour.

An ordinance approved by city voters in 2003 ties the annual wage increase to the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index, a measure of the average price of goods and services. San Francisco will have the second highest minimum wage in the United States in 2009, behind only Santa Fe, N.M., which is scheduled to mandate $9.92 an hour in 2009. "Basically, our minimum wage allows people to keep up when inflation goes up," said Greg Asay, an analyst in the city's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement. "With no corresponding increase people fall behind. For people who are just getting by, this uptick is keeping their heads above water." Predictably, some employees are encouraged, while their bosses are not so sanguine.

"Business is down everywhere. Down, down, down," said Saad Benchra, owner of Mythic Pizza at 551 Haight St. "This is not the right time for this. Business owners have so many costs and paying almost $10 an hour just makes it worse."

Benchra, who bought his small pizza joint in 1999, pays minimum wage but he is not required to help pay for his employees' health care - as are many San Francisco employers - because he has fewer than 20 workers.

Khalid Almurisi, one of Benchra's workers who was busy tossing pies Tuesday, said the boost in pay was very good. Almurisi, who is 27 and from Yemen, said he'd use the extra cash to help pay his rent.

Francis Rooney, 36, works across the street at a bar, Mad Dog in the Fog, and said the raise comes at a great time for him. He was dismissed from a part-time clerical job last week, he said.

Rooney, who is from Sligo, Ireland, said he'd spend the money on groceries and other necessities such as health insurance, which he does not get through work. But his plans for the new year indicated he was not particularly worried about the bad economy.

"I'm going to South America next week for four weeks, so I'm looking forward to that - Argentina, Bolivia and Peru."

Many other workers interviewed Tuesday already made more than the minimum wage. Eric Meier, 29, has earned $10 an hour behind the coffee bar at Cafe Du Soleil at 200 Fillmore St. for three years. He doesn't expect to make more next year, but he said his bosses treat him well.

Asay said the 43-cent boost is nearly double last year's change and is the largest since the new rules started in 2004. At that time, the city's minimum wage was $8.50.

He acknowledged that the increase seemed surprising given the struggling economy, but he noted that the prices of some goods have dropped in just the past few months.

"The large change upward (in the Consumer Price Index) was because for most of the year the prices of were going up," Asay said. "Gas and food were really expensive and they didn't cool off until a few months ago."

While few cities have minimum wage laws, many states and the federal government do. The federal minimum wage is $6.55. It is scheduled to move up to $7.25 by July. The state minimum wage is $8 an hour and would require legislation for an increase.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../BAAP14UAG2.DTL

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

"Business is down everywhere. Down, down, down," said Saad Benchra, owner of Mythic Pizza at 551 Haight St. "This is not the right time for this. Business owners have so many costs and paying almost $10 an hour just makes it worse."

If you don't wanna pay minimum wage, pay cash. It's illegal but everybody's doing it!

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

I thought CA would run out of $ in Feb 2009, how are they planning to pay for this raise?

[mox 298]

I thought CA would run out of $ in Feb 2009, how are they planning to pay for this raise?

State government will run out of money in February, not the city of S.F.

[EstebanTrabajos 7]

I thought CA would run out of $ in Feb 2009, how are they planning to pay for this raise?

State government will run out of money in February, not the city of S.F.

Ohhh, hey then the governator should ask for a loan from all the cities instead of bothering the Feds

[mox 298]

Ohhh, hey then the governator should ask for a loan from all the cities instead of bothering the Feds

[Danno 1,228]

Anyone who has ever employed a few people know what it's like when business is slow but you try to keep everyone working, hoping things will pick-up.

I would predict at this moment, the unintended result of this hike in pay will be the layoff of more than a few people.

These people will be the very lowest wage earners too, perhaps the least prepared to loose their job.

I understand the "liberal-logic" of these, near ten dollar an hour, minimum wage laws in good times but how can they not understand the result of them in todays climate?

[natty bumppo 289]

"Business is down everywhere. Down, down, down," said Saad Benchra, owner of Mythic Pizza at 551 Haight St. "This is not the right time for this. Business owners have so many costs and paying almost $10 an hour just makes it worse."

If you don't wanna pay minimum wage, pay cash. It's illegal but everybody's doing it!

gotta keep the illegals working ... so $5/hr under the table is the new rate?

[Reba 2]

I think I'll move to San Fran. Their minimum wage is more than I'm making now here in North Carolina, and I'm making $3 OVER the state minimum!

[mox 298]

I think I'll move to San Fran. Their minimum wage is more than I'm making now here in North Carolina, and I'm making $3 OVER the state minimum!

Just be prepared to have your cost of living expenses tripled.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think I'll move to San Fran. Their minimum wage is more than I'm making now here in North Carolina, and I'm making $3 OVER the state minimum!

Just be prepared to have your cost of living expenses tripled.

Yep. 9.79 in SF would be roughly the equivalent of 4.50 - 5.00 in even the fanciest spot in N.C.