At the start of this year Illinois raised its minimum wage by another dollar. This is the fifth increase that the State has made since J.B. Pritzker signed historic legislation in 2019. The increase in the minimum wage may excite numerous people, or disappoint. The employees of the largest Illinois-based movie theatre chain Classic Cinemas have something to say about it though.

Located in North Riverside Mall,  this movie theatre has been around for many years. Employees at the movie theater do multiple tasks like working the cash register, cleaning movie theaters, stocking the food court shelves, and much more. With the minimum wage increase, employees aged 18 saw their hourly rate increase to a  1 dollar raise. Employees had mixed feelings about the new hourly raise as Jalen Jones, an employee from Classic Cinemas had this to say,  “I wish it was more, but it definitely makes a difference. Jones began working for the theater in December of 2022. Jones added, “This raise does make me safer with my money knowing I’ll have more, and not being vulnerable with it.”  Another employee,  Orlando Santos, who has been working at Classic Cinemas for four months commented on the new minimum wage increase,  “I feel like the average minimum wage could be higher but I understand why I get paid that much so I’m fine with it.” Santos enjoys working for Classic Cinemas and calls his job “very fun and I love working with the people there the most.”

Employees at Classic Cinemas do see a need for an increase in the minimum wage, but they also understand why they’re paid this way. The levels employees get paid can go into multiple categories:  management, the place you are stationed at, and even the employee’s age. So employees may see many jobs that may pay more than others, it just comes down to where you work. Both Jones and Santos indicated their managers were ‘the best’ and they look forward to the new movies that are coming out.