The Metro Council delayed voting on resolutions Tuesday night that would award an across-the-board 2 percent raise to all Metro employees and adopt a new minimum-wage policy for Metro’s full-time employees.
The deferral was made out of procedural necessity, to allow the resolutions to go before the council’s vote on the same night as Mayor Karl Dean’s proposed $1.52 billion budget. The council will consider the budget on June 15.
As part of Dean’s budget, which would free up funds by restructuring the city’s debt, Dean has proposed a one-time, 2 percent raise to Metro employees. The raise would be capped at $2,000 for each Metro worker.
As a late addition to that resolution, Dean has proposed adopting a new hourly minimum wage of $10.77 for full-time Metro workers. The current minimum wage for Metro employees is $7.72. At-large Metro Councilwoman Megan Barry endorsed the resolution.
Between 100 and 120 Metro employees would benefit from the increased minimum wage.
Several council members said they hadn’t been alerted of the minimum wage proposal, and were hoping the bill would be deferred to allow for more consideration.