A MINIMUM wage increase for California’s healthcare workers  is to be delayed, it was announced on Saturday.

More than 426,000 healthcare workers in the US state were due to receive the first instalment on July 1 in a plan that would raise their pay to $25 per hour (£19.65) over the next decade.

But the ruling Democrats have agreed to delay the pay hike to help balance the state's budget. The agreement between Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders, in consultation with unions, is part of a larger plan to close an estimated $46.8 billion (£37bn) shortfall.