THE CNMI proposal for an industry-tiered minimum wage may be included in the wage hike bill introduced by U.S. Sen Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.
Gov. Juan N. Babauta told reporters yesterday that he and Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio were working for the inclusion of an amendment to the Kennedy bill, which is also sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.
The amendment would establish a CNMI industry-tiered wage system patterned after the American Samoan model.
Babauta said the garment, construction and hotel industries had endorsed “a federally established minimum wage.”
Babauta said it would be “very difficult” if the CNMI seeks a “stand alone” measure for its industry-tiered proposal.
Tenorio was earlier invited by Kennedy, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, to discuss the CNMI’s position on the minimum wage prior to re-introducing his bill.
In a letter to Babauta last week, Tenorio said Kennedy’s Fair Minimum Wage Act was set to be re-introduced and it included language that would extend the federal wage law to the CNMI.
According to Tenorio, the new legislation is almost identical to the bills introduced by the senator in the past.
Still, Tenorio said Kennedy had allowed the CNMI to submit recommendations. This is “unprecedented,” Tenorio added.
