July 18, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

$15 an Hour Minimum Wage Could Be on 2015 Ballot

minimum wage
Labor friendly groups are hoping to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour in Los Angeles. (Thinkstock)

A man from Seattle has already come to Los Angeles and driven up the price of one of the City’s professional sports franchises. Another group of people are now congregating in Los Angeles in hopes of engaging the City’s voters to support a minimum wage hike and potentially outdo a similar campaign in Seattle.

Accordingly, if former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer ever gets hands on the Los Angeles Clippers – the NBA franchise he is ready to pay $2 billion for – none of his employees would earn less than $15 per hour if the movement to raise the minimum wage in Los Angeles were successful.

Known as “15 Now,” the grass-roots group of activists urging cities and states to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour have officially made Los Angeles a focus, with members of the organization arriving in the city just a few weeks ago.

With 15 Now looking to hire a full-time organizer to operate a campaign for minimum wage increases across California, the organization’s expansion into Los Angeles comes on the heels of multiple news reports that an initiative could be on the ballot by Spring 2015, asking voters to approve a $15 per hour minimum wage.

If the initiative is allowed to be placed on the ballot and then approved by voters, workers within the City of Los Angeles would earn at least $15 per hour.

The ballot initiative proposal was reportedly submitted to the City Attorney’s office last week by a labor coalition known the Los Angeles Workers Assembly. This weekend, the coalition is planning an assembly at Los Angeles Trade Tech College in Downtown L.A. to speak out in support of a $15 per hour minimum wage.

At the July 19 rally, the Los Angeles Workers Assembly will also be discussing the ballot initiative it is backing.

The ballot initiative is a different process than what 15 Now participated in during its minimum wage hike campaign in the Emerald City. In Seattle, it was the City Council that reportedly approved the $15 per hour minimum wage. According to one news report, the 15 Now organizers lost some steam during the City’s deliberations, losing as many as 90 percent of its supporters by the time the Seattle City Council lodged its vote.

A ballot initiative would give Los Angeles voters the decision of whether to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, meaning groups such as 15 Now and Los Angeles Workers Assembly are likely to maintain active participation between now and next spring’s election.

Also, the ballot initiative would likely seek to have the $15 per hour wage initiated immediately, compare to Seattle where the minimum wage hike would be implemented in phases during the next seven years.

Accordingly, if the 15 Now and Los Angeles Workers Assembly campaign were successful next year, the $15 per hour minimum wage hike would symbolically occur in 2015.

There is already a separate policy being considered at Los Angeles City Hall, where the 15 council members are expected to soon vote on a motion to require workers at medium and large hotels within city limits to be paid at least $15.37 per hour.

State Senator Mark Leno introduced Senate Bill 935 (SB 935) earlier this year, proposing to establish a $13 per hour minimum wage for the entire State. However, the bill did not get enough votes from the State Assembly’s labor committee on June 25 to move forward, meaning SB 935 is officially dead and the $13 per hour minimum wage proposal is off the table.

Stay tuned to WestsideToday.com for updates on this issue.

Related Posts

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Nearly $1B Secured for Refinancing of Westfield Century City Mall

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The proceeds will replace a $925 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan, originally issued by Morgan Stanley in 2023 and due...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays...

Tesla Seen Nearly Crashing into West LA Home After Collision

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Footage depicted a blue Prius on the road with significant front-end damage A crash involving injuries was reported around 12:30...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

Hundreds of Red-Legged Frog Tadpoles Released in Santa Monica Mountains

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Once widespread in California, red-legged frogs vanished from the Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s Nearly 600 California red-legged frog...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...

Westwood Village Board to Discuss Public Art Initiative

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The initiative aims to enhance community pride, boost local business revenue, and address urban blight through public art corridors and...

Beverly Hills Plans Major Apartment Development Near Civic Center

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The site, currently holding 13 residential units, is slated for demolition to make way for the new development A proposal...

Federal Judge Sides with Santa Monica, Other Local Governments Against Immigration Raids

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention...

California Hits Two-Thirds Clean Energy Milestone

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

This year, clean energy has powered the state for an average of seven hours daily, with over 90% of days...