Business Notes WAGES

When he was campaigning for office, George Bush pledged to raise the minimum wage, which his predecessor had been content to leave at $3.35 an hour since 1981. Last week the Administration sought to make good on that promise. Testifying at a Senate hearing, Labor Secretary Elizabeth Dole proposed legislation that would boost the minimum wage to $4.25 an hour over the next three years.

The most controversial part of Bush's plan is a so-called training wage, which was a condition of his campaign pledge. The training wage would enable employers to pay workers $3.35 an hour for their first six months on the job. Democrats are expected to oppose the provision, partly on the grounds that it would fail to help low-paid workers who switch jobs frequently.