Minimum wage: The lowest pay rates across the states

9/8/22 7:00PM

Fast food workers in California might be looking at a hefty pay rise after the Golden State governor signed a bill that could see minimum wage within the industry jump to $22 an hour. As charted above, California’s minimum wage is already the nation’s joint third-highest, with the base level at $14 an hour — or $15 for companies with over 25 employees.

‍Wage against the machine

‍As inflation erodes the value of people's pay packets, workers are increasingly seeking out more rewarding employment opportunities in one of the tightest labor markets on record.

At the same time, union support in the US has hit a 57-year-high, with the approval rating for labor unions now sitting at some 71%. High-profile unionization efforts at corporate giants like Amazon and Starbucks have sparked conversations on pay and working conditions at an increasing number of companies.

In states like Texas, Georgia, and some 18 others, there isn’t a state-set minimum wage. That means that, for workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, they default to the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour — a figure which hasn’t shifted since 2009.

J. Edward Moreno11/4/25

Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

Starbucks disclosed on Monday evening in a regulatory filing that it will sell control of its ailing China business to Boyu Capital for about $4 billion.

Under the agreement, Boyu will own a 60% stake in the China segment, which will become a joint venture between Boyu and Starbucks. The coffee chain will retain a 40% interest in the entity and will continue to own and license the brand and intellectual property.

Bloomberg reported earlier this year that the company was looking to sell its China segment. The American coffee giant has struggled to succeed in China, its second-largest market after the US.

Tom Jones

10/6/25

OPEC and others are boosting oil production as the race to catch up with the US goes on

This month’s 137,000-barrel-a-day boost is a little more modest than some expected.

Millie Giles

RED FLAG, GREEN FLAG

9/25/25

China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, has pledged to cut emissions for the first time

President Xi Jinping has announced that China is aiming to slash carbon emissions by up to 10% in the next decade.

solar power station on the rooftop of the factory

Claire Yubin Oh9/19/25

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

Despite a record year of passenger numbers, flight cancellations, and delays, a new survey has revealed that flyers have been increasingly satisfied about their experiences in North American airports.

According to this year’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study from data analysts at J.D. Power, overall passenger satisfaction scores were up 10 points (on a 1,000-point scale), largely from “improvements in food, beverage and retail and ease of travel through the airport.” The annual survey measures overall traveler satisfaction across the region’s airports in seven categories (in order of importance): ease of travel, level of trust, terminal facilities, airport staff, airport departure experience, food and retail, and airport arrival experience.

Here are the region’s favorites:

Millie Giles

DOT-COM BUBBLE

9/12/25

More than 40% of American adults now report being online “almost constantly”

While a new survey showed Japan has the greatest share of perpetually online people, there was a significant number reporting not using the internet at all.

Minimum wage: The lowest pay rates across the states

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Starbucks sells control of China business for $4 billion

John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

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