Building Momentum to “Ban the Box” Nationwide

Last week, Oregon’s Gov. Kate Brown signed into law a bill that prohibits questions about prior convictions on initial applications for employment. This makes Oregon the seventh state in the country to “ban the box” on private employment applications, giving people with records the chance to get to an interview and a fairer shot atContinue reading “Building Momentum to “Ban the Box” Nationwide”

Low-Wage Workers Not Covering Basic Needs

Today’s minimum wages are a far cry of what it actually takes to survive. Last Thursday, thousands of fast food workers staged a strike in 50 cities across the country to draw attention to corporate wage gaps. Fast food workers are demanding $15 hourly wages; currently, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. PerhapsContinue reading “Low-Wage Workers Not Covering Basic Needs”

Project Vote Smart

Role in the Landscape This is part twelve in a series of posts that will explore some of the leading organizations from around the country that are engaged in unearthing and combating the influence of money in the political process. Project Vote Smart (PVS) is a transparency/data organization with a vast collection of data onContinue reading “Project Vote Smart”

Living wage jobs are scarce in Northwest and Colorado

The recently released 2010 Northwest Job Gap Study, Searching for Work that Pays looks at living wages in each county in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The study also compares the number of job openings paying a living wage to the number of job seekers in each state. The key findings are disturbing: 48%Continue reading “Living wage jobs are scarce in Northwest and Colorado”

Searching for Work that Pays: 2010 Job Gap Study

The 2010 Job Gap Study looks at the availability of living wage jobs in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. This report provides calculations of: A living wage for all counties in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington; The percent of job openings that pay a living wage in each of these states; and TheContinue reading “Searching for Work that Pays: 2010 Job Gap Study”

Race Matters: Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy

It’s always been tough for working families in the Northwest to make ends meet. The recession has made it even harder – and harder still for people of color, who have historically faced racial inequities in the job market. The economic crisis has only worsened these disparities in employment, wages, and income. Race Matters shinesContinue reading “Race Matters: Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy”