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survive on them. This problem would not be as extreme as it is now if the wage bill had been
indexed to inflation since the 1950s. It is estimated that if 1968’s wage bill had been indexed
to inflation, the current minimum wage would be $11 which would be better as compared to
the current $7.25.
Additionally, all Americans living in Oregon who work full time should not be living
under poor conditions. This is because the effort put in as a full-time employee should reflect
in the minimum wage per hour. The problem of a low minimum wage leaves the question of;
if the better full-time jobs don’t give workers a chance to leading good lives, what of those
who work for few hours a day in the lowest paying jobs? It is evident that they are
languishing in poverty even though they report to work daily like other workers.
Oregon’s Senate President Peter Courtney disagrees with the $15 minimum wage
saying it is too high and unreasonable. This is against the needs of the employees who say
that the administration is just playing a game to reduce the minimum wage further rather than
increase. Protestors argue that cities, for example, Seattle have increased the minimum wage
to $15. Multnomah County and Portland City, on the other hand, have voted in a $15 per hour
minimum wage. In 2002, Oregon voters approved a bill to raise the minimum wage from
$6.50 to $6.90. Since then, Oregon has had a gradually increasing minimum wage of $9.25
behind Washington’s $9.47 (Beleiciks). Over the years, however, due to the rising cost of
living, other states have surpassed Oregon’s minimum wage.
Supporters of the minimum wage increase need Oregon to improve its minimum wage
so as to bring the low-income earners above the poverty line. Economic analysts, on the other
hand, argue that this will have far-reaching effects on the economy of the state. This is
because employers may not be in a position to spend so much money on payroll. They say
