Appeals Court Ruling Allows Fight for Minimum Wage Increase To Continue

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/01/courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:412;s:6:"height";i:291;s:4:"file";s:42:"2015/01/courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992-336x237.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:237;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:40:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992-375x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:375;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:22:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:412;s:6:"height";i:291;s:4:"file";s:19:"courtroom_gavel.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"courtroom_gavel-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"courtroom_gavel-336x237.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:237;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"courtroom_gavel-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"courtroom_gavel-300x291.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:291;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"courtroom_gavel-375x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:375;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"courtroom_gavel-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"full-1474560181249";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:412;s:6:"height";i:291;s:4:"file";s:34:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484.jpg";}s:23:"thumbnail-1474560181249";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"medium-1474560181249";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-336x237.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:237;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-icon-1474560181249";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:40:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:34:"wbhm-featured-square-1474560181249";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-300x291.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:291;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:36:"wbhm-featured-carousel-1474560181249";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-375x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:375;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"post-thumbnail-1474560181249";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"full-1474560229128";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:412;s:6:"height";i:230;s:4:"file";s:34:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560181249.jpg";}s:23:"thumbnail-1474560229128";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560181249-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"medium-1474560229128";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560181249-336x188.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:188;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-icon-1474560229128";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:40:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560181249-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:34:"wbhm-featured-square-1474560229128";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560181249-300x230.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:230;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:36:"wbhm-featured-carousel-1474560229128";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560062484-375x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:375;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"post-thumbnail-1474560229128";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:42:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560181249-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"full-1474560260992";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:412;s:6:"height";i:291;s:4:"file";s:34:"courtroom_gavel-e1474560251322.jpg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:21146;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15513;s:7:"percent";d:26.640000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:7:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:70:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/01/courtroom_gavel-e1474560260992.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:21146;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15513;s:7:"percent";d:26.640000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1668851902 
1532616422

A federal appeals court cleared the way Wednesday for minimum wage workers in Birmingham to continue to fight for higher pay.

In a closely watched national debate over pre-emption, the court acknowledged race may have been a factor in the Alabama legislature’s decision to reverse Birmingham’s uniform minimum wage increase.

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals says the legislature may have violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment when it overturned Birmingham’s minimum wage increase.

Birmingham is majority black, and so is the city council. The legislature reversed the minimum wage increase without support from any black lawmakers.

Plaintiffs say black employees in Birmingham earn up to 27 percent less than white workers in hourly jobs.

Alabama uses the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Birmingham wants to increase it to $10.10

Workers filed suit in federal district court and it was dismissed. The action this week comes as a result of their appeal.

A district court will now decide what’s next.

 

 

Alabama Public Television meeting draws protesters in Birmingham over discussion of disaffiliating from PBS

Some members of the Alabama Educational Television Commission, which oversees APT, said disaffiliation is needed because the network has to cut costs after the Trump administration eliminated all funding for public media this summer.

Gov. Kay Ivey urges delay on PBS decision by public TV board

The Republican governor sent a letter to the Alabama Educational Television Commission ahead of a Nov. 18 meeting in which commissioners were expected to discuss disaffiliation.

A proposed Bessemer data center faces new hurdles: a ‘road to nowhere’ and the Birmingham darter

With the City Council in Bessemer scheduled to vote Tuesday on a “hyperscale” data center, challenges from an environmental group and the Alabama Department of Transportation present potential obstacles for the wildly unpopular project.

Birmingham Museum of Art’s silver exhibit tells a dazzling global story

Silver and Ceremony is made up of more than 150 suites of silver, sourced from India, and some of their designs.

Mentally ill people are stuck in jail because they can’t get treatment. Here’s what’s to know

Hundreds of people across Alabama await a spot in the state’s increasingly limited facilities, despite a consent decree requiring the state to address delays in providing care for people who are charged with crimes but deemed too mentally ill to stand trial. But seven years since the federal agreement, the problem has only worsened.

Ivey appoints Will Parker to Alabama Supreme Court

Parker fills the court seat vacated by Bill Lewis who was tapped by President Donald Trump for a federal judgeship. The U.S. Senate last month confirmed Lewis as a U.S. district judge.

More Birmingham Minimum Wage Coverage