New Orleans City Council plans living wage ordinance for city contractors, some city employees

New Orleans City Council members would force pay raises for hundreds of city contractors and some city employees under a proposed law that aims to align the city with other municipalities that have embraced higher wages for workers. 

An ordinance introduced by five council members this month would raise the wages paid by city contractors from $11.19 per hour to $13.25 per hour by next year, and to $15 per hour by 2023.

The requirement would apply to contractors with at least $25,000 in annual city contracts and city grantees who receive at least $100,000 in public funds. It would apply to some, but not all, city employees. Only those who work on contracts or projects that involve the distribution of city funding to outside groups would be guarantee that minimum wage.

Members say their goal is to ensure that taxpayer dollars create jobs that can help lift contracted workers out of poverty, and argue the move will help businesses increase productivity and decrease turnover. 

Read the full article here: https://www.nola.com/news/politics/article_be149c04-c9f8-11eb-b71c-c7fec0a7eed7.html