The Denver City Council has approved a proposal from Mayor Michael Hancock to raise the minimum wage for city workers to $15 an hour.

The measure, approved unanimously Monday, also covers employees of businesses that operate in city facilities, such as Denver International Airport.

Hancock offered the proposal in February. It was developed in cooperation with Councilwoman Robin Kniech and labor unions Unite Here and SEIU Local 105.

The council agreed to increase hourly wages for city employees and covered city contract and subcontract workers to $13 on July 1, 2019, $14 on July 1, 2020 and $15 on July 1, 2021.

City officials said the wage increase would affect nearly 1,900 city employees as well as workers  employed through around 300 contracts.

Colorado’s statewide minimum wage for non-tipped workers is $11.10 an hour.

Last month, the council agreed to set a $15-an-hour minimum wage for city contractors and subcontractors.

“Wage stagnation and income inequality are part of a national economic challenge that has been decades in the making,” Hancock said then in a statement. “The wage gap has kept people in poverty and threatens the ability of working families to meaningfully participate in the economic prosperity cities like Denver are experiencing. This proposal was a critical step we could take as a city to ensure all our residents have equitable access to opportunity in Denver.”

City officials have supported a measure before the state legislature, House Bill 1210, to allow local communities to set minimum wages for all workers higher than the statewide level. Hancock testified in support of the measure at a legislative hearing.

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