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Greens@richmondgreens.net

The Richmond Greens Say:
"Living wages for all Richmond families."

The idea that individuals should be paid a wage allowing them to live above subsistence has a long history grounded in the "just price" philosophies of Medieval times.

In the United States, efforts in the 20th century by labor unions, led by AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees), and religious groups, led by BUILD (Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development), culminated with the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 setting the first minimum wage at $0.25 an hour.

Over time the federal minimum wage has been increased and sits today at $5.15 an hour ($6.25 in California).

The erosion of the ability of workers paid a minimum wage to maintain a life above the poverty line is juxtaposed with the federal government's removal of a safety net for those individuals in need of assistance.

The Living Wage is seen as a way for low-wage workers to survive in a society that is providing fewer safety nets for the poor and often failing to reward workers with sufficient income fro survival.

The Greens salute Richmond Vision 2000 and all participating organizations for taking on, promoting and getting approval of the City of Richmond Living Wage Ordinance, which requires that all employers of a certain number of employees doing business with the city to pay their employees a wage of $12.92 an hour if no health insurance is provided, or at least $11.30 if health coverage is provided. It also requires that cities doing business with the city have their labor and environmental compliance background checked and used as part of the competing criteria for job bids.

This was a very good FIRST STEP.

All workers in Richmond should receive at least these wages.
Living wages for all workers in Richmond!