People’s Living Wage Fund is a campaign with the goal of making sure all workers at the Co-op are paid as close to a Living Wage as possible.

What is a Living Wage?

In Multnomah County, a Living Wage for a single person with no dependents in 2024 is $26.45/hour (MIT Living Wage Calculator). People’s Food Co-op currently pays a starting wage of $17.68/hour, plus competitive benefits. MIT defines a living wage as, “what one full-time worker must earn on an hourly basis to help cover the cost of their family's minimum basic needs where they live while still being self-sufficient.” Inflation as well as rising rent and housing costs have contributed to a significant living wage increase in Portland.

Why isn’t People’s Food Co-op paying a Living Wage right now?

Inflation and the rising costs of living* have made it impossible for People’s to pay a living wage while also keeping the co-op sustainable, affordable, and profitable. Efficiency and budget cuts alone cannot bridge the gap between our starting wage and a living wage, making it impossible to achieve without compromising the Co-op's integrity. This challenge is not unique to People’s – the sudden, sharp increases in the cost of living, as well as rapid increases to the cost of grocery goods, affects co-ops and grocery stores across the industry.

How will this campaign help?

This is an ongoing campaign, and your contributions will be paid out to directly to our workers. Our Collective Management has created a formula for payouts that will prioritize our lower paid workers first.

Of course, this isn’t the only way you can support this effort – shopping at the Co-op is the best way to support our community, and our workers in particular. Shop co-ops first! Please ask your friends and neighbors to shop at People’s as well!

Read our full Living Wage Report here to learn more.

What is People's Food Co-op?

People's Food Co-op is a collectively-managed, community-owned grocery co-op nestled in SE Portland, OR. People's has been in business for over 50 years, providing their communities with fresh, local, and organic groceries.

Learn more about People's at www.peoples.coop. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

People's Living Wage Fund

By People's Food Co-op

People's Living Wage Fund

Make a monthly contribution to get co-op workers closer to a living wage!