Salem May Day Rally Aims For Higher Wages, Expanded Health Care

NWNews | By Chris Lehman

Published May 1, 2015 at 3:10 PM PDT

May Day rallies are taking place Friday in several Northwest cities.

In Salem, hundreds of demonstrators called for a higher minimum wage, paid sick leave and expanded health care for low income families.

Oregon Governor Kate Brown told the crowd she supported their causes.

"We need you here in Salem to share your stories, to work with legislators, to make our state a place that is inclusive and full of opportunity for everyone,” she said.

Brown has said she supports a higher minimum wage, but hasn't specifically endorsed the $15 per hour level that many in the crowd were pushing for.

Demonstrators listen as Oregon Governor Kate Brown addresses the crowd in front of the state capitol in Salem.

Regional News

Chris Lehman

Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.

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