New Yorkers approve of $15 minimum wage: poll

A Quinnipiac pollreleased on Monday found70 percent of New Yorkers support the recent move to raise the minimum wage for fast food workers to $15 over the next three years.

The poll found 60 percent of Republican opposed the raise, but all other groups — Democrats, Independents, men, women, white, black and Hispanic — approved ofthe raise.

Mario Musolino, the state’s labor commissioner,approved the wage increase in September. Wages for fast food workers in New York City will rise to $10.50 on Dec. 31, 2015; to $12 on Dec. 31, 2016; to $13.50 on Dec. 31, 2017 and to $15 on Dec. 31, 2018.

The minimum wage for state workers will rise to $15 by 2021. The raises apply to employees at companies with more than 30 locations nationally.

Manhattan lead the counties with 79 percent of residents polled supporting the increase, followed by 75 percent in the Bronx, 74 percent in Queens, 62 percent in Kings and 60 percent on Staten Island.

The most supportive age group was 65 or older, with a 79 percent approval rating.

Seventy percent of poll participants said the higher minimum wage would not lead to businesses closing and jobs lost, and 57 percent said they would pay more for fast food.

The poll — based on1,155 respondents and a 2.9 point margin of error—also found 55 percent of New Yorkers think getting rid of tipping is a bad idea.