Chicago Aldermen OK 'big box' wage

The Chicago Tribune reports:

After more than three hours of debate, aldermen voted 35 to 14 today in favor of an ordinance that will require "big-box" retailers to pay their workers more than minimum wage.

The measure only applies to companies with over $1 billion in annual sales and stores of at least 90,000 square feet, which means it primarily affects Target and Wal-Mart.

It requires them to pay at least $10 an hour in wages plus another $3 in fringe benefits by July 2010. The state's minimum wage is $6.50 an hour.

The ordinance's backers needed at least 34 votes to override a possible veto by Mayor Richard Daley, who opposed the measure as anti-business and a roadblock to economic development.

The vote followed a noisy confrontation this morning outside City Council Chambers as supporters and opponents of the ordinance confronted each other.

Chicago doesn't much care about jobs or consumers getting a good deal.Few places are more expensive to do business.