Lawmakers in Salem address gender gap as a Portland State economist warns about potential pitfalls of raising the minimum wage.
BY JACOB PALMER | OB DIGITAL NEWS EDITOR
A pair of bills under discussion in the House aim to lessen the gap in wages between men and women.
House Bill 2006 would prohibit different pay for equivalent work while House Bill 2007 would end retribution for workers who talk about how much they’re paid, OregonLive.com reported.
From Molly Young’s story:
A House committee plans to take up the measures Monday. The proposals are backed by top Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives, who contend existing anti-discrimination laws haven’t done enough to bring women’s wages in line with men’s, and that people should feel safe to talk with colleagues about pay. But other legislators question whether the bills would have a disproportionate impact on small businesses and open those firms up to lawsuits lodged by former employees.
Regardless of the bills’ ultimate fate in Salem, fairness and transparency are key to the way workers feel about their jobs and how productive they are, [executive coach Karen] O’Keefe said.
While the minimum wage debate continues in the state capital, a Portland State University economist said raising the number would not be the best way to solve the state’s economic problems.
The Portland Tribune reported on the the City Club of Portland event where Tom Potiowsky addressed the future of the state’s economy:
Raising Oregon’s minimum wage — which at $9.25 is the nation’s second highest, only to Washington state — is a focal point of the current legislative session. Labor unions and other groups back an increase in stages up to $15; businesses say such an increase would be harmful.
“Raising it in my mind would not cause a large disruption, and it probably would be helpful in trying to change economic inequality,” Potiowsky said in response to a question by Chuck Sheketoff, executive director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, after his presentation. “But that’s just only one little aspect.”
