BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AJR 12
Author: Gatto (D)
Amended: 8/15/13 in Assembly
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 52-22, 8/19/13 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Minimum wage
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution memorializes the California
Legislature's request to the President of the United States
(U.S.) and the Trade Representative of the U.S. to include a
provision within future international treaties, trade
agreements, and other international protocols relating to the
raising of foreign minimum wages. The resolution further calls
for the U.S. Senate to decline ratification of these agreements
should they fail to include such provisions.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following legislative
findings:
1.Unemployment remains too high in the U.S. and that one
significant cause is the "outsourcing" of quality trades,
manufacturing, and service industry jobs to nations where
workers are paid minuscule wages for their labor.
2.In an age of "globalization" many American industries have
suffered due to competition from foreign employers who pay
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wages well below the U.S. federal minimum wage.
3.A standardized international minimum wage would ensure that
American workers and firms compete on a "level playing field"
in the global market, raise the standard of living for
billions of people worldwide, and open new markets to American
exports.
4.The U.S. has a long history of stimulating beneficial policies
abroad when negotiating treaties and trade agreements,
including, inter alia, demanding free elections, protecting
American patents, prohibiting nuclear testing, requiring
currency stabilization, and requiring environmental
safeguards, as a condition for peaceable relations, open
trade, and robust commerce with the U.S.
This resolution memorializes the California Legislature's
request to the President of the U.S. and the Trade
Representative of the U.S. to include a provision within future
international treaties, trade agreements, and other
international protocols relating to the raising of foreign
minimum wages. The resolution further calls for the U.S. Senate
to decline ratification of these agreements should they fail to
include such provisions.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/21/13)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
AFL-CIO
California Federal of Teachers
Worldwide Minimum Wage Project
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office, "Many
U.S. industries have struggled to compete with foreign employers
who pay wages well below what U.S. workers make. As a result,
quality trades, manufacturing and service industry jobs have
been outsourced to nations where workers earn minuscule wages
for their labor, causing the U.S. economy to continue to suffer
from higher unemployment as companies cut costs to remain
competitive.
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"A standardized worldwide minimum wage would ensure U.S. workers
and businesses compete on a level playing field in the global
market. A rising minimum wage would also benefit workers in
foreign countries by improving the standard of living for
billions of people around the world and opening new markets to
American exports. Reducing poverty would make developing
countries less reliant on U.S. foreign aid and able to create
more stable societies less prone towards wars or terrorism.
"The United States is in a unique position to affect global
policies by utilizing its treaty powers to require foreign
nations to stop exploiting low wages for competitive advantage.
Throughout its history, America has stimulated beneficial
policies abroad when negotiating treaties and trade agreements,
including calling for free elections, protecting U.S. patents
and requiring environmental safeguards. It is in this spirit
that this resolution hopes to follow - influencing the world
community to improve the quality of life for those less
fortunate than us."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 52-22, 8/19/13
AYES: Alejo, Ammiano, Atkins, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonilla, Bonta,
Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau,
Chesbro, Cooley, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier,
Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Hall, Roger
Hernández, Holden, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Lowenthal, Medina,
Mitchell, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian, Pan, Perea, Quirk,
Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Weber,
Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NOES: Achadjian, Allen, Bigelow, Chávez, Conway, Dahle,
Donnelly, Beth Gaines, Grove, Hagman, Harkey, Jones, Linder,
Logue, Maienschein, Mansoor, Morrell, Nestande, Patterson,
Wagner, Waldron, Wilk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Gorell, Melendez, Olsen, V. Manuel Pérez,
Vacancy, Vacancy
PQ:nl 8/21/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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