What is a Living Wage?
|
A living wage means earning enough to take care of ourselves. It means being able to take our children to the doctor, buy winter clothes, and pay utility bills. A living wage means not having to choose between school supplies and groceries for the week. Working people should not have to live in poverty. |
What
is the Providence Jobs and
Living Wage Ordinance?
Legislation that requires the City of Providence, large city contractors and employers who receive lots of taxpayers’ dollars to pay their workers a living wage of $12.30 an hour. The Ordinance also guarantees benefits, community-based hiring, affirmative action, the right to organize, worker protection, and non-discrimination for those with prison records.
Why do we need a Living Wage?
Nearly half (44%) of Providence families make less than $25,000 a year and in the last two decades, working people‘s real wages have dropped by $1.75 an hour. The contrasts are startling. Providence has given hundreds of millions of dollars in cheap loans and tax breaks to sub-living wage employers while good jobs and essential services have been slashed. If we can afford corporate giveaways and huge CEO salaries, we can afford a living wage to build strong families and healthy communities.
A Living Wage works!
There are more than 50 cities in America, including Boston, Los Angeles, Baltimore, San Francisco and Minneapolis, that have passed living wage ordinances. These cities have seen increased wages and tax revenues without the loss of jobs or businesses. A living wage will bring the renaissance to everyone!
Downloads
Living
Wage Activists (.pdf)
Living Wage Endorsements (.pdf)
Living Wage Ordinance (.pdf)
Living Wage Ordinances in the US (.pdf)
Top 10 Reasons to Support a Living Wage (.pdf)
Myths and Facts About a Living Wage (.pdf)
Testimony of Mimi Turchinetz to Providence City Council
(.pdf)
Living Wage Rally 11/15/01 (.pdf)
Before and After a Living Wage (.pdf)
Because We Are United
Flyer (.pdf)
Stop the Economic Violence
Flyer (.pdf)
