ST. PAUL, Minn. — Thousands of Minnesota workers have big raises coming their way, courtesy of a new minimum wage law Gov. Mark Dayton signed Monday.

Dayton called the hourly jump of more than $3 spread over the next few years “what’s fair” for hard work. He said he has been stunned by GOP resistance to increasing the guaranteed wage from $6.15 per hour now to $9.50 by 2016 and then tie it to inflation.