President Bush said that he could support an increased minimum wage only if Congress also established a sub-minimum training wage. Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole had told the Senate of that position the day before. Senator Kennedy, chairman of the committee is opposed to the training wage. Mrs. Dole said that the "skills gap" could be erased through job-training programs. Organized labor believes that some employers would use the lower, training wage for hiring and would lay off higher paid workers. The bill was introduced by Senators Kennedy and Dole.
President Bush said that he could support an increased minimum wage only if Congress also established a sub-minimum training wage. Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole had told the Senate of that position the day before. Senator Kennedy, chairman of the committee is opposed to the training wage. Mrs. Dole said that the "skills gap" could be erased through job-training programs. Organized labor believes that some employers would use the lower, training wage for hiring and would lay off higher paid workers. Kennedy's bill would increase the wage from $3.35 to $4.55 per hour in three annual 40 cent increases.