Oakland minimum wage set to rise on Sunday

Oakland’s minimum wage is set to rise 31 cents starting Sunday, increasing from $12.55 to $12.86 per hour, city officials said.

The wage hike was instituted by Measure FF, which 82 percent of voters passed in November 2014.

The increase corresponds to the August 2015 to August 2016 increase of about 2.5 percent in the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers in the Bay Area, city officials said.

Oakland’s minimum wage still lags behind cities like San Francisco and Emeryville.

The minimum wage in San Francisco is $13 an hour, and Emeryville’s is $13 per hour for small businesses and $14.82 for large businesses, Oakland city officials said.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a statement:

“Raising the minimum wage in a predictable and affordable way is the right thing to do for the people of Oakland and our region.”

Schaaf added:

“As we continue to navigate the regional affordability crisis, a gradual, uniform wage increase for the lowest-paid workers is the fiscally and morally responsible thing to do, and will only improve the strength of Oakland’s individual businesses and overall economy.”