Las Cruces minimum wage jumps to $9.20 an hour
Starting Sunday, Las Cruces workers who make minimum wage are getting a pay raise.
Las Cruces city council approved to raise minimum wage in 2014.
Workers who used to make $8.40 an hour will now make $9.20.
One local businesses, Sweet Cece’s Frozen Yogurt and Sweets is already having to adjust. Manager Kassie Asel tells me some of their lead employees used to make 10 cents more then regular employees, but that’s not the case anymore. She says they’re all making the same amount of money because of the wage hike, which means they’re getting rid of some leadership roles and balancing the workload. Asel says you’ll also now have to pay a more for a scoop of frozen yogurt and all those delicious toppings
“We did have to do a 10 cent raise per ounce,” Asel said. “You really can’t tell a whole lot, but you know it’s there just because it has to happen with the minimum wage hike.”
Asel noted other businesses will start raising prices as well.
“It gets more expensive to go out to restaurants, get dessert at the end of the night,” she said. “It’s like do I really want it? Because that extra dollar we made now were going to spend it at the restaurant or to get food.”
The proposal to raise minimum wage was brought forth by the grassroots organization, New Mexico CAFe.
“There are about 20,000 people right now who make less than $15,000 a year in Las Cruces right now. It’s just a tell tale that our economy can not survive on such low wages,” CAFe Executive Director Sarah Nolan said.
In two more years, the minimum wage will jump to $10.10.
