The Reagan Administration may relax its opposition to an increase in the minimum wage if Congress agrees to dilute the legislation significantly. Labor Secretary Brock says it must exempt youths lacking entry-level job skills and drop plans for future raises. Brock said that a number of people are not only unemployed but unemployable and that increasing the wage would add to the problem. One congressional staffer concluded: "Apparently he's making some progress" within the Reagan administration. Rep Hawkins said that if Brock put his ideas into a bill it would be given a hearing. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) has introduced a similar bill. An aide to a Republican Senator said that many people feel that an increase in the wage is inevitable.
The Reagan Administration may relax its opposition to an increase in the minimum wage if Congress agrees to dilute the legislation significantly. Labor Secretary Brock says it must exempt youths lacking entry-level job skills and drop plans for future raises. Brock said that a number of people are not only unemployed but unemployable and that increasing the wage would add to the problem. Rep Hawkins said that if Brock put his ideas into a bill it would be given a hearing. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) has introduced a similar bill. An aide to a Republican Senator said that many people feel that an increase in the wage is inevitable.