The contract with Service Employees International Union Local 503 means that the lowest possible hourly wage for state or university workers will be $10.71, more than a $2-an-hour raise, according to the Associated Press:
Its just foolish for us as a state or a nation to pay people so little that they need to use government services to support themselves, Ellis said.
The state merely agreed to a two-year deal but is not establishing a new social policy, said Sue Wilson, who oversees labor negotiations for the state. The Oregon agreement wont affect government contractors, though the union got tougher preconditions before the state can farm out public services to private companies.
Only 76 state workers fall into the lowest pay bracket, according to the article.
Interestingly, the article also lists Oregons minimum wage as the nations highest at $7.80 an hour. Washingtons is $7.93.
