Minimum Wage

May 24, 2009 On Tuesday, May 26, 2009 the CNMI minimum wage is increasing from $4.05 to $4.55 an hour for most minimum wage earners. Some categories of workers still will earn the local minimum wage of $3.05 an hour. The minimum wage law was passed in 2007 and calls for annual increases of $.50 in the CNMI until the federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 an hour is reached. Some business owners and the Fitial Administration object to the annual increase. A few business representatives were quoted in the Saipan Tribune : Pete Igitol , director of Hafa Adai Beach Hotel, one of ... Read Full Story

February 9, 2008 Chamberonomics XXXIII...who are the bad guys? We have now confirmed at least three groups are bent on keeping our third world wage structure and dooming a generation of local island youth to servitude and poverty - the Chamber, HANMI, and the Fitial administration. We have two groups that have not formally stated their position, the TaoTao Tano, and the 16th Legislature. The Saipan Chamber of Commerce opposes raising the minimum wage here. Voting in the chamber is a formality, as HANMI and Tan Holdings companies control a voting majority. HANMI supports keeping a status quo on wages in the NMI and ... Read Full Story

February 26, 2008 Posted by Wendy L. Doromal Bravo! The Marianas Variety reported that Senator Maria T. Pangelinan D-Saipan submitted written testimony to today's U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing supporting the incremental minimum wage increases. She is quoted as saying, "...all workers deserve to be paid adequately." The story states: “I support the current law as enacted, mandating incremental increases in the minimum wage of the CNMI. I oppose any delay,” she said. Sen. Maria T. Pangelinan, D-Saipan, in her written testimony, said the imbalance on the CNMI’s wage system contributes to its economic woes." Senator Pangelinan criticized the U.S. Department ... Read Full Story

June 30, 2008 The Saipan Tribune reports that the wage study bill for the CNMI and American Samoa is headed for a signature by President Bush. The Fitial Administration hails the proposed economic study viewing it as a way to stall future minimum wage increases: “The Governor believes that federal minimum wage policies should be objective and data-driven, not based on political ideology or partisan considerations. We support careful wage studies for both the CNMI and American Samoa, and we hope federal policy makers will be guided by such studies. We hope they will be willing to make changes if warranted by the economic ... Read Full Story

March 1, 2008 Submitted by Ron Hodges A conspiracy broke last week in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands involving a Catholic sister being strong armed by business interests on Saipan. I am not sure if it was the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, HANMI, or the Fitial administration (all have been lobbying in D.C. recently). One accused conspirator was Sister Stella Mangona. Sister Stella would be the most credible person on Saipan to testify about anything. This extraordinary story is in North Star, titled “A Slave is a Slave is a...” by Fr Joe Billotti, who has systematically explained how upstanding Saipan ... Read Full Story