Living Wage Campaigns
Living wage laws require companies that receive public funds to pay their workers a living wage and meet other community standards. The campaigns behind the laws bring together unions, religious organizations, and community groups.With over 120 cities, towns, and county governments having passed laws and over 75 communities with campaigns now underway, the living wage is sweeping the nation.
The Labor Studies Center has produced two research reports on the impact of Detroit's living wage law and a handbook on organizing effective campaigns.
Research Reports
Living up to the Living Wage: Implementation, Enforcement & Impact of Michigan’s Living Wage Ordinances (November 2005) . This joint study with the Sugar Law Center surveyed municipal officials in Michigan concering their experience with their local living wage ordinances. Sixteen Michigan municipalities have enacted living wage policies.
Non-profits and Detroit's Living Wage (June 2000)
Report on the Impact of Detroit's Living Wage Ordinance (September 1999)
For a helpful six-page summary of Living Wage Research through 2002 click here.
Living Wage Campaigns: An Activists Guide to Organizing a Movement for Economic Justice (January 2003 Edition)
This 225-page activist handbook uses the experiences of campaigns across the county to provide a nuts and bolts guide for organizing in your community. Topics include: Drafting an ordinance; Coalition building; Conducting research; Strategic planning; Countering the opposition; Organizing to enforce the living wage; and Using the living wage to support ongoing action around union organizing, regional economic planning, corporate accountability campaigns, elections, and labor-community partnerships.
A 125 page on-line pdf version is available by clicking on the link below.
Living Wage Campaigns pdf version 2MB
For the full version with 90 pages of documents -- including sample ordinances, testimony, questions and answers, flyers, opposition propaganda, and letters to the editor -- send $15 (payable to ACORN) to attn: Dennis Johnson, ACORN, 739 8th St. SE,Washington, DC 20003; 202-547-2500 fax 202-546-2483; www.acorn.org.
