Chicken of the Sea Gets Samoans a Wage Hike

For the past six years, Congress has blocked scheduled minimum wage increases from taking effect in American Samoa. Under the federal minimum wage law passed in 2007, workers in the tiny South Pacific territory were supposed to get yearly raises of 50¢ an hour until they met the federal floor of $7.25. Rates went up the year the bill passed and in 2008, and again in 2009. Since then, the Samoan minimum wage has been frozen, most recently by a 2012 bill that scheduled increases every three years rather than annually—a time frame that would leave wages in the Samoan tuna canning industry, a major employer, trailing mainland pay until 2027, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

For a while it looked like the wage hike that was set to take effect on Sept. 30 would also die. The House voted on Sept. 28 to delay the increase until after Dec. 31, 2016. Then Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson, a Republican, stepped in. He negotiated an amendment that provided for an immediate 40¢ hourly wage increase, with additional raises kicking in every three years. It passed the Senate and was adopted by unanimous consent in the House on Oct. 1.