AUGUSTA – Gov. Angus King, in a surprise reversal, joined key legislative leaders and other pro-labor lawmakers in endorsing an increase of the minimum wage in Maine.

State Labor Commissioner Valerie Landry appeared before the Legislature’s Labor Committee to convey King’s new stance and to “offer our enthusiastic support” for boosting the $5.15 hourly minimum to $6.25 an hour.

In the past, the politically independent King had opposed measures that would boost the Maine minimum above the federally set level. He has vetoed minimum wage increases three times, and last year used his pocket-veto power to block a bill to increase the $5.15 hourly minimum by 70 cents.

But Landry said Thursday that the administration’s concern that a hike would put the state at a competitive disadvantage had lessened. She noted that four other New England states have a higher minimum wage than Maine and there is an expectation of congressional action.

“The governor consistently has supported an increase at the federal level, which would help low-wage workers across the country while avoiding any disadvantage to Maine,” Landry said in prepared remarks. “However, despite assurances from our federal counterparts that an increase in the federal minimum is likely, it has not yet occurred.”

Now, Landry added in a departure from her text, “the governor has lost some patience in waiting for the federal government to act.”

Legislative advocates of a higher minimum wage include Senate President Michael Michaud, D-East Millinocket, and House Speaker Michael Saxl, D-Portland. Earlier this month, the two leaders appeared at a news conference in which supporters of a minimum wage increase threatened to appeal to the voters if King were to fend off a wage hike again.

At the time, President Edward Gorham of the Maine AFL-CIO said he believed there were enough votes in the Legislature to pass a new minimum wage bill, but was unsure if there were enough to override a veto.

On Thursday, Gorham suggested that the administration might have assessed the depth of legislative support for an increase and concluded that the governor was “either likely to be overridden or looking at a referendum.”

Several different minimum wage bills came up for committee consideration. After Thursday’s public hearing, the panel voted 11-1 with one member absent to recommend a 60 cent increase by January 2002 and another 50 cent increase by January 2003.

According to Landry, state officials estimate that 5,000 Maine workers earned the minimum wage in the year 2000, with about 8,000 more – mostly workers earning tips – being paid less.

“We recognize that although the overall percentage of people who make the minimum wage is small, it is important to assist these employees while at the same time raise the overall wage floor,” Landry said.

Landry said all other New England states except New Hampshire have increased minimum wages above the $5.15 federal minimum. Those four states – Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut – are among 10 states with rates higher than the federal minimum, she said.

Michaud and Saxl both said they were pleased by King’s turnaround.

“Clearly, the labor movement was prepared to put out a referendum,” Michaud said.

King aide Greg Nadeau said the administration still hoped Congress would take action.