The Portland City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to amend its fair wage policy, boosting pay for more than 150 contractors and a handful of full-time workers to $15 an hour.

The policy applies to about 20 contractors that employ parking attendants, security guards and janitorial staff at city-owned and -operated buildings. Sixteen full-time city employees will also receive raises. The companies have until July 1 to enact the new minimum.

Mayor Charlie Hales and Commissioner Dan Saltzman introduced the increase in February, a reaction to grass-roots organizers who pushed the discussion in 2014 and kept it on the front burner in the months since then.

Hales advanced the policy as his own, naming it a priority in his State of the City address in January.

All members of the council agreed that Wednesday's action is just a first step, but an important one, in addressing income inequality in Portland.

The mayor said he was proud of the council for acting quickly. "We're not passive passengers on a national ship that maybe is going somewhere we don't want to go," Hales said.

Wednesday's vote will cost an estimated $900,000 a year, funding that Hales requested in his proposed 2015-16 budget. The final budget will be adopted in mid-June.

The policy doesn't apply to the estimated 2,000 parks workers who are classified as part time or seasonal. Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who oversees the Parks Bureau, said it's not OK to ignore those workers.

Joe Walsh, a frequent City Hall critic, applauded the City Council but said it should help parks workers, too.

"What you're doing is a good thing," Walsh said. "Pat yourself on the back --- gently."



-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@cityhallwatch