New Seasons Raises Minimum Pay

New Seasons Market will raise its minimum pay from $10 to $12 per hour starting in January. The Portland-based chain, which employs 3,300 associates at its 17 stores located in Oregon, Washington and California, is the latest company to announce such a move as the Oregon legislature considers two different bills on the issue. And labor groups across the country are calling for a $15 minimum wage.

“I hope that other companies will join me and dozens of companies here in Oregon that are really standing for the fact that a $9.25 minimum wage is not enough to raise a family in Oregon,” said New Seasons CEO Wendy Collie in local news reports. “We’re hoping that the position that we take encourages people to take a stand and do what’s right to create a living wage for people in Oregon.”

While New Seasons stands behind a mandated minimum wage increase, it states that any increase should be phased in and make allowances for the differences between urban and rural companies as well as large and small employers.