CHICAGO (WLS) —
Minimum wage for Chicago workers jumps to $10 an hour on Wednesday. The city said this is the first wage increase for city workers since 2010.
The minimum wage will rise to $13 per hour in the city by 2019. City Council passed the pay hike in December. It affects about 200,000 employees.
The first increase was from $8.25 to $10 an hour. It will go up by 50 cents in 2016 and 2017, then by $1 in July 2018 and 2019.
The national minimum wage is $7.25. Illinois’ rate is $8.25. Attempts to raise it across the state have not been successful so far.
Chicago’s minimum wage was a key issue in the 2014 elections and in the 2015 municipal election.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.