Lately, blowing Oregon’s horn has been more difficulty than normal, given the national exposure of the Kitz scandal and Oregon’s more ludicrous Republicans. So, before Rachel does a segment like Monica Wehby Wants to Be the New Governor’s First Lady, I’ll blow Oregon's horn while I can.
On Wednesday, the Portland, OR city council voted unanimously to increase the minimum wage for city workers and contractors to $15 an hour, currently the highest minimum wage anywhere in the country.
They amended the Fair Wage Policy, which sets the floor for about 173 full-time city employees and contractors. Most of the affected workers are janitors, parking attendants, and security workers paid by contractors who are subject to the policy. The wage increase could also trickle out to those who work for third-party vendors that honor the Fair Wage Policy.
Workers who won’t be covered include 1,800 seasonal and part-time employees mostly working for the Parks Bureau, many of whom have a capped number of hours they can work each year, often making their part-time status involuntary.
The wage hike comes as a bill is being considered in the Oregon legislature to increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour from its current level of $9.25…
Inserted from <Think Progress>
Toot! Toot!!
14 Responses to “Toot! Toot!!”
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That is promising indeed! And OR has a better record of not criminalizing being homeless than CA, which recent data indicates has 500 such laws in her cities and, unlike other western states, is not looking at fixing that at the state level so far this session.
Oregon tries to keep homeless away from the luxury areas of downtown, but police do not harass them in my neighborhood.
Just (well, 4.5 hours ago, but I just got to read it) got this in an email from CREDO: "This is big news: Wal-Mart just announced that the company will be giving raises to about 500,000 of its hourly workers, nearly 40% of the entire company."
Not in any way to take away from Oregon's accomplishment, which is stellar.
This should probably be in the Open Thread. Even at $9, we'll still be payoug to feed their employees.
I wish that this would spread to the other 49 states!
So do I.
Good news for the increase of the minimum wage in Portland to $15.00 an hour. Hope it ripples and spreads throughout the state.
As for Wal-Mart, it also increased the hourly pay to $9.00. Still not enough for Wal-Mart workers who continue to need federal assistance to live.
That's good for Portland and hopefully the state! Now could BC be adopted? Our minimum wage is $10.25/hr except for liquor servers and farm workers who get $9.00/hr. There is a movement to increase the minimum wage to $15/hr. http://globalnews.ca/news/1774384/fight-to-increase-minimum-wage-in-b-c-to-15-continues/ Ontario and Nunavut have the highest at $11/hr. With Vancouver having the highest cost of living in Canada, it is ridiculous that we have one of the lowest minimum wages in the country.
Kudos to Oregon!
Dang! $15 Canadian is only $12 US.
Hooray for the work that Oregon has completed re the minimum wage and the Fair Wage Policy – well done Oregonians!
Thanks Pat!
I am happy for the workers in Portland who will be affedted by the increase. Hopefully it will spread.
Hopefully, indeed!
That is a horn that should be tooted. I wish more would do this. There is a bill in our House right now to raise Ky. wages but looks like the Republican led Senate will stop it.