Q: How is the Living Wage hourly amount determined?
A: There are a variety of methods to determine Living Wage, and the amount per community is always different. In Bloomington, Illinois the hourly living wage was determined using National Low-Income Housing Coalition guidelines. These guidelines stipulate a worker must earn enough to rent a 1 bedroom apartment at no greater than 30% of their income. Because the guideline involves the cost of housing in a community, living wage is sometimes construed as a housing issue. This is a mistake. The Living Wage figure is not really linked to lack of affordable rental housing. Housing is simply a good standard of the cost-of-living in a community. Some communities use calculations based on poverty level guidelines or other criteria. Regardless of the calculations used, the bottom line is the same; the average employee making minimum wage is well below the poverty line.
Q: Why doesn’t the campaign apply to the private sector?
A: We think all workers should earn enough to not be poor, regardless of what they do or who pays them. In the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, there are no menial jobs, just menial pay. The Bloomington Living Wage campaign firmly believes that we, as citizens, have the right to determine what our employees should earn. And we believe you shouldn’t work for the City of Bloomington and be poor. If the private sector think this is a good idea too, then we encourage them to do the right thing too.
Q: What City workers would Living Wage cover?
A: All employees and subcontracted workers. This includes: School crossing guards, lifeguards, summer rec workers, City Hall janitors, and subcontracted workers at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum (also known locally as the “arena.”) It includes full and part-time workers.
Q: Why do part-time workers and teenagers deserve a Living Wage?
A: The largest contributor to poverty in Bloomington is underemployment, or low-wage work. Many underemployed workers will string together multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. This often means incredibly long hours and juggling shifts and time–all of which have the effect of being anti-family.
During the course of the 3 year campaign, we’ve often heard that the young and elderly work either for fun or simply spending money. Those ideas are contrary to the inherent value of work and the fact that simply because one teen uses summer employment for fun doesn’t negate other teens saving for college or contributing to family income. In the same way, one senior citizen who might otherwise volunteer as an Arena usher for fun doesn’t mean another might use their income for expensive prescription drugs. Our community shouldn’t get in the business of “means testing” what people get paid based on their spending habits. A teenager saving lives at our swimming pools is certainly an expense worth paying for. And until the City Council members decide to clean their own toilets they shouldn’t begrudge the women they pay minimum wage to do so.
