State Chamber of Commerce sues over Minneapolis minimum wage
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is suing the city of Minneapolis over its ordinance to raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2024.
The lawsuit filed Friday alleges that Minneapolis' ordinance conflicts with existing state law and asks the court to prevent its enforcement.
In court documents, the chamber asks for a temporary injunction to put a pause on the ordinance, and then a permanent injunction.
"There is one minimum wage in the state of Minnesota and the State of Minnesota sets it. And a city, any city, in the entire state may not set its own minimum wage," said Cam Winton, the director of labor/management policy for the chamber.
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Winton says the state has passed a thorough minimum wage law, and the city should abide by that.
Chamber president Doug Loon says a patchwork of local laws is burdensome, especially for employers with operations in multiple cities.
City Attorney Susan Segal says the city will defend against the claims, which are similar to the chamber's challenge to Minneapolis' sick time ordinance. The courts found the city could impose that ordinance on businesses within Minneapolis, but not outside city limits. The chamber is appealing.
Minnesota's hourly minimum wage is $9.50 and will go up to $9.65 on Jan. 1. Minneapolis' ordinance raises the hourly minimum wage within the city to $10 starting Jan. 1.