Michigan Business & Economy

Coverage from across Michigan and the state Capitol with the Michigan Public Radio Network and Interlochen Public Radio.

Zingerman's co-founder talks about why raising the minimum wage matters

Michigan Public | By Stateside Staff

Published April 2, 2014 at 3:21 PM EDT

Paul Saginaw, co-founder of Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended the president's speech on raising the minimum wage today.

President Barack Obama was in Ann Arbor today, pushing the Fair Minimum Wage Act.

That’s the bill that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 by 2016. Senate Democrats are planning votes on a bill, but Republicans are working to block it.

Back here in Michigan, the minimum wage is $7.40 an hour – though groups are working to gather petition signatures to boost the state's minimum wage.

But can a state that is still recovering from a terrible recession weather a 36% hike in the minimum wage?

Paul Saginaw is co-founder of Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor. He has been pushing to increase the minimum wage and he is already committed to paying Zingerman's workers above the minimum wage.

We talk to Saginaw about the president's push for raising the minimum wage.

Listen to the full interview above.