Ohio's working poor being ignored
By DAVID ANDERSON
MINUTEMAN MEDIA
Living wage advocates don't wield much clout in the Ohio General Assembly, where each member earns $56,261. Higher salaries are awarded to those in leadership. In 2005, the House Speaker and the Senate President each got $87,699. Representatives and senators earn additional dollars when they hold ranking positions on standing committees and subcommittees.
And a legislator's earning power doesn't stop at the statehouse door. Many members keep their full-time day jobs as they go about doing the taxpayers' business. Unless there's a conflict of interest, legislators can bring in income from the private sector, too.
Although members of the General Assembly are considered to be officers and not employees of the state, they're eligible to participate in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and they can select from a full menu of health care, life insurance, and disability insurance coverage.
Workweeks during the General Assembly session center around a Tuesday through Thursday schedule. Members don't get paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, or disability leave, but they continue to receive their salary if their absence is excused by a formal action of their house. Attendance isn't required when the houses aren't in session.
Living wage
Ohio's working poor don't get the flexible work schedules, salaries, and benefits enjoyed by their legislators. Many of Ohio's poor work more than one job but it's safe to say the combined paychecks from two minimum wage jobs don't come close to a legislator's take-home pay. It makes it all the more difficult for living wage advocates to plead their cause before elected representatives who benefit from a better standard of living than most of their fellow citizens.
One legislator stands apart from the statehouse crowd when it comes to helping the working poor. In January 2005, State Sen. C. J. Prentiss, D-Cleveland, introduced S.B. 11 that called for increasing the basic state minimum wage. The bill would have raised the current $4.25 per hour to $6.15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2006, and to $7.15 per hour one year later. Unfortunately, the bill languishes in the Senate's Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee.
Jan. 1, 2006, came and went. Lawmakers got their guaranteed 3 percent pay increase, but almost 92,000 of Ohio's working poor continue to earn wages below the federal minimum of $5.15 per hour.
Frustrated by the legislature's indifference, a coalition of labor, community, and civil rights groups launched a campaign to raise Ohio's minimum wage to $6.85 per hour. Ohioans for a Fair Minimum Wage are gathering signatures to put their proposal on the Nov. 7 ballot. OFMW trusts that a majority of Ohio voters will "do the right thing" and help Ohio's lowest paid workers. Too bad our elected representatives don't understand the moral necessity of providing a decent living wage for those who toil through an honest five-day workweek.
David Anderson is a former public radio news producer and reporter in Columbus. Distributed by Minuteman-Media.org.