WHEREAS:

A living wage provides the basic salary necessary to cover food, clothing, shelter, day care, transportation and health care for families; and

WHEREAS:

A living wage means maintaining a decent standard of living and not having to choose between the basic important necessities of life; and

WHEREAS:

The rationale behind a living wage ordinance is that local governments, which are often responsible for implementing anti-poverty programs, should not contract with or subsidize employers who pay poverty level wages; and

WHEREAS:

There are a variety of strategies to achieve a living wage including increasing state and city minimum wage laws above the federal level, requiring public contractors, city sub-contractors, businesses receiving tax abatements and or state economic subsidies to pay wages and benefits at least comparable to those paid to public employees and linking public grants and loans to the creation of good paying jobs and benefits.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME affiliates support all states coalitions' efforts in the development of living wage legislation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME urge lawmakers to go even further by enacting laws that will provide working families with a total package on which they can raise their families, which would include adequate health insurance and pensions; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME and its affiliates support efforts in state and local governments to bring about living wages through increases in state and municipal minimum wage laws above federal levels and adoption of state and local government labor standards requiring publicly-funded contractors to pay living wages, including health insurance and pensions.

SUBMITTED BY:

Ninfa Vassallo, Delegate
AFSCME Local 389, Council 1707
New York