Economic Justice

"There is nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an
adequate wage to every American citizen… there is nothing except short
sidedness to prevent us from guaranteeing an annual minimum and livable
income for every American family." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Living Wage history: The idea of creating living wage ordinances in local
communities grew from a grassroots movement. In an effort to bring jobs to
our area, government and community leaders began offering financial
incentives to private employers. These incentives, in the form of tax
abatements and subsidies are paid for by tax dollars. The Cleveland Jobs with
Justice Living Wage Taskforce organized to fight for a living wage for
employees being paid by public money. Simply put, we believe people who
work for a living, ultimately being paid by our tax dollars, should earn a wage
that keeps them out of poverty.

The City of Cleveland and the City of Lakewood both adopted a Living Wage
Ordinance similar to ordinances and laws in on over 140 communities across
the country. A living wage goes above the minimum wage set by the state
government and is considered to be the amount of money an individual needs
to be able to maintain a minimal standard of living.

How is a Living Wage different from a minimum wage? A minimum wage set by
the state of Ohio reached $7.30 as of January 1, 2009. But that is still not
enough to meet the basic needs for a single full time worker and is a fraction
of what is needed for one who is responsible for supporting a family. A living
wage sets a standard closer to the actual needs of a worker supporting a
family. All government entities and employers subsidized by public money
should be paying a living wage. Our tax dollars should not be spent on
substandard earnings for us or our neighbors! Our work is continuing and the
Economic Justice Committee is gathering information on how to best to serve
workers in the Cleveland area.

For more information on the living wage, please visit our living wage resources
page.