Minimum Wage Increase in Birmingham Expedited

The Birmingham City Council has voted to expedite a minimum wage increase as lawmakers consider legislation to strip local officials of control over employee compensation and other benefits.

The council voted 6-2 Tuesday with one member absent to move the effective date of an ordinance establishing a $10.10 minimum wage to Feb. 25. Deputy City Attorney Thomas Bentley said the ordinance would be effective on the day it’s published, which he doubts will happen by Wednesday.

City leaders initially sought to implement the first stage of the increase July 1, but voted to move the effective date to March 1 as Rep. David Faulkner filed a bill mandating uniform minimum wages throughout Alabama and preventing municipalities from establishing their own.

Alabama has no state minimum and uses the federal minimum of $7.25.

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