Union-led group announces ballot measure for $13.50 minimum wage

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Oregon Live

By Ian K. Kullgren

SALEM — A powerful union-led coalition said Monday that it's lining up a second ballot measure to raise Oregon's minimum wage — this one to $13.50 an hour — in hopes of sparking action by state lawmakers.

In a press conference at the Capitol, leaders of the Raise the Wage coalition drew a line in the sand, calling on the Legislature to pass a $13.50 minimum wage in the 2016 session or watch voters do it for them the following November.

"We're making it clear we're not willing to gamble with workers' lives and risk another year without a raise for Oregon workers," said Andrea Paluso, executive director of Family Forward Oregon. "We remain committed to working with lawmakers to pass a bill in the February 2016 legislative session, and believe it is their responsibility to do so."

She added later: "If they don't, we're going to pursue this pathway."

FULL story at link.


Labor Education and Research Center at the University of Oregon, was among about 15 people who protested low wages outside a downtown Portland McDonald's in December 2013. Protesters chanted, "Low pay is not OK." Molly Young/Staff

Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/09/union-led_group_announces_ball.html

[mindwalker_i]

1. They should raise it to $750.00

... and make hedge fund managers pay it.

[forest444]

2. Right on. Using the 1968 high water mark as reference,

The hourly minimum would be $10.90 today if it had kept up with consumer prices (officially, at least). And it would be at least $19.00 if it had kept up with GDP per capita (which was $4,700 in 1968, and will likely exceed $56,000 this year).

It goes without saying that our GDP per capita would be a good bit more than $56,000 if the minimum wage (and average wages) had been adjusted accordingly.

[Alkene]

3. Too little. n/t