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Ashland will re-examine living wages By TONY BOOM ASHLAND - A living-wage proposal will get a second look by affected businesses, advocates and the public in early June. A $10.75 hourly wage, or $9.75 if an employee receives benefits, is proposed. The city and any organization providing services to or receiving grants from the city totaling more that $10,000 per year would have to pay the wage. In February the City Council directed an ad hoc committee to review the ordinance to determine its effects for organizations that receive grants or have contracts with the city. Committee members expressed general concerns that the ordinance could create problems for employers and workers. "We found the way the ordinance was written might encourage business to discontinue health coverage in lieu of paying a slightly higher wage," said Valri Williams, ad hoc committee member and president of Ashland's Chamber of Commerce. Reporting requirements for businesses and organizations were streamlined, said Williams. The committee also revised notification requirements and appeal procedures for affected workers. Other committee members are Arnie Green of Community Works, Suzi Auferderheide of Action Oregon and Carole Bonney. Among others, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland Chamber of Commerce, Community Works and the Community Health Center might be affected by a living wage. "The great majority of the full-time people who work here ... are at or above the living-wage level," said Paul Nicholson, executive director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. OSF receives $19,000 from the city's hotel tax. Nicholson estimates that fewer than 30 of 425 employees receive less than the proposed living wage. Nicholson is concerned about a living wage's effect on pay relationships within the organization. Increasing an $8 per hour employee to $10.75 might bring pressure for other workers to gain similar increases. "It's the ripple effect throughout the rest of the organization that is hard to determine," said Nicholson. "If you wanted to maintain the existing pay relationships, it may take hundreds of thousands of dollars." Committee member Lawrence Wheeler of ServiceMaster Building Maintenance said a living wage would create a disparity in pay between ServiceMaster workers in Ashland not under city contract and those who clean city offices. "I see it creating some tension." Wheeler said he would have to pass along any additional wage costs in bids for city services. "I'm in favor of doing it to show that the city will pay all of its employees a living wage, at least to our full-time employees," said Councilman Don Laws. "Beyond that I have to be given the specifics on who would be affected and in what ways." Committee members sent recommendations back to city administrators, who will prepare the draft ordinance. A presentation of the revised ordinance is tentatively set for June 4 at 7 p.m. in council chambers. After public input the ordinance will go to the council for consideration. "We are optimistic that an ordinance that will have broad-based backing will emerge from that (June 4) meeting," said Rich Rohde, regional organizer for Oregon Action. The group initiated the campaign for a living-wage ordinance and drafted the original proposal. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.