Bill Would Hike State Minimum Wage

A state representative from Greensboro has proposed an increase in the North Carolina minimum wage.

Democrat Pricey Harrison is the lead sponsor of a bill that would more than double the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour within five years. The legislation would also guarantee North Carolina employees equal pay for equal work, add protections for employees who complain about working conditions, and ensure benefits such as paid sick time and family leave.

Harrison tells the News and Record of Greensboro the bill faces an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled legislature, but it serves as a reminder that “Democrats care about working-class individuals.” She says that the legislation is aligned with a nationwide drive against budget and policy moves by the Trump administration.