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NY Board To Continue Discussion On Fast-Food Workers Wage Hike

New York Wage Board

The three members of a state board meeting in Albany to consider minimum wage increases for New York's fast-food workers say salaries should rise, though they haven't immediately determined how high and when.

The wage board, meeting Monday in Albany, has heard dozens of workers say they struggle to pay ordinary living expenses such as rent, utilities and transportation at the current minimum, often with fluctuating and part-time work schedules.

Mike Fishman of the Service Employees International Union says the wage should reach $15 quickly.

Kevin Ryan, chairman of the Internet firm Gilt, says the increase should be "substantial."

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, the third wage board member, says a raise will be recommended but one that shouldn't mean layoffs.

New York's minimum wage is $8.75 and set to rise to $9 at year's end.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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