Washington Sets First Minimum Wage Standards
A newly empowered industrial welfare commission begins enforcing minimum pay for women, girls, and minors across mercantile, laundry, and factory sectors.
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A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Olympia, Wash. — Action taken thus far by the industrial welfare commission, under the minimum wage law enacted by the last legislature, is as follows: Mercantile establishments: $10 minimum wage established, effective June 27, for women and girls over 18. Minimum for minors of both sexes, $6. Minimum for apprentices, $6 first six months, $7.50 second six months, then $10. Factories, not including fish and fruit canneries: $8.90 wage established effective August 1, with $6 minimum for minors of both sexes. Laundries and dye-works: $9 minimum wage, effective August 24. Telephone and telegraph companies: $9 minimum wage, recommended by the conference, not yet acted upon. In the near future, the commission is expected to call a conference to fix minimum wages for hotel and restaurant help. With wages established for these industries, action will have been taken toward providing suitable wages for the large majority of the female employees in the state.
“With wages established for these industries, action will have been taken toward providing suitable wages for the large majority of the female employees in the state.”
This 1914 report documents the early implementation of Washington’s progressive labor laws, which were among the first in the nation to tackle wage inequality. Today, these protections have evolved into the state's robust minimum wage and overtime laws, which remain a central pillar in the ongoing civic debate over the cost of living and worker dignity.
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