Charlotte mayoral candidates focus on worker rights

Charlotte’s mayoral candidates Tuesday night stressed their support for workers, with two Democrats specifically saying they’d work to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for city employees.

Five Democrats and one Republican spoke to about 100 people at a forum organized by Action NC at the Double Oaks Community Center. Supported by organized labor, the group advocates for workers rights, including a so-called living wage.

The city can only determine the pay of its own workers. In 2013 the General Assembly passed a law that prohibits municipalities from raising the minimum wage or requiring contractors who get government contracts to pay workers a certain amount. The current hourly minimum is $7.25.

Democrat Jennifer Roberts said not paying a living wage does workers a disservice.

“I absolutely support moving the city to a $15 per hour minimum wage if we phase it in,” she said.

Democrat Roderick Davis said he fully supports the hike.

But Democrats Michael Barnes and David Howard said that while sympathetic to workers, they would have to study the impact of a higher minimum wage.

“I don’t think you’d want any of us to say ‘do it’ without knowing the impact on (city) fees,” Howard said.

Barnes, like Howard a member of the city council, said the city has been raising wages. “It may not be as quick as we’d like it to be,” he said, “but we’re trying to address the problem.”

Republican Edwin Peacock agreed. “Barnes and Howard are right,” he said. “This is not an easy answer.”

Democratic Mayor Dan Clodfelter, who arrived late, did not address the question. But when candidates were asked about union rights, the former state senator cited his legislative record.

In the Senate, he said, he sponsored a measure to raise the minimum wage, helped the state adopt the earned income tax credit and generally supported the positions of organized labor.

“Absolutely, I do support the First Amendment right to organize and act collectively,” he said.

In reply to a question, all the candidates said they support equal pay for women.

On the labor issues, several candidates said more jobs and education also would lead to higher pay.

Peacock, the only Republican on stage, was the only candidate to support North Carolina’s right-to-work laws, a position that elicited a smattering of boos from the audience.

This story was originally published August 18, 2015 at 9:02 PM with the headline "Charlotte mayoral candidates focus on worker rights."