Turning Point for $15 Minimum Wage

California has a plan for a $15 minimum wage to be phased in over seven years. California is a large state, so despite the long lead time, its move lends more credibility to the $15 target intended to bring the minimum wage in line with where it was in the 1970s. A $15 minimum is also being adopted by some employers. We will surely see more states adopt $15 as a target, so that by next year, states with lower minimum wages will start to feel some pressure to catch up. The federal minimum wage too is overdue for an increase, but realistically, that will never be put up for a vote as long as Republicans have any say in it.