Forum/Discussions

The verdict is in: living wages are good for workers, and good for the economy too. On Wednesday, Paul Sonn of the National Employment Law Project (NELP) pointed out countless examples of how wage standards in New York City benefit the local economy. Sonn writes that there is no evidence that past wage guarantees have hurt the city's ability to recruit developers, or developers' ability to get financing or attract tenants for their projects. Not only have such standards helped locally, but also living wage standards in cities throughout the U.S. have boosted business. Sonn says that the proof is in the large body of careful research analyzed by the Center for American Progress over the past decade that has examined existing living-wage policies on the ground -- and documented substantial benefits for employers and workers. Click here to read more.

Retail workers, community members and clergy leaders speak up about how a living wage would improve their lives and the lives of the surrounding community. One worker tells the story of how, after working in retail for years, he is barely able to provide basic necessities for himself and his family. He says a living wage job would make all the difference in the world. As featured in this month's Indypendent, a paper read by more than 200,000 New Yorkers, the battle for living wages is growing in New York City. Click here to read more.

The Living Wage NYC coalition is gearing up for a spirited MLK Day event on Jan. 13th at 6:30 PM at Convent Avenue Baptist Church. Click here to watch a promotional video, and download the flier here.