Group Withdraws Minimum Wage Referendum

A group pushing for an increase in the state's minimum wage is ending its bid to put a question on the November state ballot.

Raise Up Massachusetts said Monday the ballot question is no longer necessary since the Legislature has approved a bill that would raise the $8-per-hour minimum wage to $11 by 2017.

Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to sign the bill within days.

The group had collected enough signatures to place on the ballot a question calling for a minimum wage hike to $10.50 per hour within two years and tie future increases to inflation.

While the measure passed by lawmakers would not index the minimum to inflation, the group said in its intention to withdraw the petition that the bill would give Massachusetts the nation's highest minimum wage.