Living Wage

On November 4th, 2008, the citizens of Bloomington, IL took to the polls to overwhelmingly pass the advisory referendum which asked whether Bloomington city workers should be paid a living wage of $9.81 per hour. Nearly 65% of Bloomington voters said “YES” to a living wage in Bloomington!

The Central Illinois Organizing Project has calculated the percentage of voters in each Bloomington ward supporting living wage for Bloomington City workers. The breakdown is as follows:

• Ward #1 (Allen Gibson) Y= 73%; N= 27%
• Ward #2 (David Sage) Y= 66%; N= 34%
• Ward #3 (Kevin Huette) Y= 56%; N= 44%
• Ward #4 (Judy Stearns) Y= 76%; N= 24%
• Ward #5 (Jim Finnegan) Y= 65%; N= 35%
• Ward #6 (Karen Schmidt) Y= 80%; N= 20%
• Ward #7 (Steven Purcell) Y= 73%; N= 27%
• Ward #8 (John Hanson) Y= 65%; N= 35%
• Ward #9 (Jim Fruin) Y= 55%; N= 45%

“In every ward, this is a landslide victory,” says Jack Porter, IPA spokesperson. Within those wards, 43 of 44 precincts in the city had a majority of “yes” votes on the living wage referendum. See the election results here or view maps and voting detail here.

In the last week, some Bloomington workers have come forward to talk about the difference a living wage would mean to them. They want to correct the notion that there is no need for a living wage for the city jobs in question because those jobs are held by “teenagers” who only use their wages as “pocket money.” Clarissa Kaehlert has worked for the city for eight years, primarily at Bloomington City swimming pools as a life guard, swimming instructor, O’Neil Pool assistant manager and the assistant swim coach for the Bloomington swim team. In those eight years, she has NEVER EARNED A LIVING WAGE despite the fact she works full time during the summer season. Last summer, Clarissa had to sell plasma to make ends meet. She says the difference between her hourly wage and a living wage would have purchased a week’s worth of groceries each month or filled her car with gas twice a month enabling her to drive to and from work.

We want the city to treat it’s employees with fairness. We are a wealthy and generous city. We can afford this. The increase in the city budget would be less than 0.3%. It’s all about priorities. We believe in investing in people. If you agree, please contact your Alderman and let your city representative know that you don’t think its employees should have to sell plasma to put food on their tables.

Read the WEEK News 25 story and watch video here.

Listen to a WJBC interview on Living Wage and Clarissa Kaehlert’s story here.

The McLean County League of Women Voters endorsed the Living Wage referendum question. The group reached consensus at their meeting after hearing from proponent IPA leader Jean Pretz and opponent Bloomington City Manager Tom Hamilton. The League support is critical in demonstrating broad based support for the policy question. According to Peoria’s HOI 19 News, spokesperson Laurie Bergner said, “We felt the people who work in the community and have a 40 hour a week job, ought to be able to make enough to live in that community and that’s what the living wage’s number is based on.”

Read more about the League of Women Voters’ pledge of support in The Pantagraph and HOI News.

IPA Leaders took to the airwaves on WJBC AM 1230 over the noon hour every day October 27th through October 30th. Each day WJBC featured a different IPA leader speaking on Living Wage.
Listen to archived interviews:
October 27th: “IPA: Living wage a minor budget impact (Bob Hathway)”
October 28th: “Ryan Whitehouse and Mike Holzworth comment on LIVING WAGE”
October 29th: “Rev. Tom Shea argues for a Living Wage”
October 30th: Lifeguard on Living Wage: I gave plasma to pay the bills (Jean Pretz)

In a letter to IPA dated September 29, 2006, Russ Hagen, the President of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, stated, “In reviewing the living wage issue, as you explained your position, that this is an internal wage rate issue within the city of Bloomington. Since this is an internal issue our participation will be minimum.” But now, under pressure from their members and only a month from election day, they have come out in opposition to a Living Wage, issuing a statement on October 2nd. Read the HOI 19 News story or view the Chamber’s statement.

The outcome of the Bloomington Election Commission, six hour hearing determined that we needed 1496 signatures, and we came in with 1497 (after 422 challenges and counter-challenges)!!! ONE VOTE MADE THE DIFFERENCE!!! Thank you all for your hard work on the petition and your prayers as we faced this challenge. And for everyone who signed the petition, you own the right to tell others it was because of YOUR signature that all voters in Bloomington will be able to vote on making Living Wage a reality in their community come November! For more info email: ciop@comcast.net

On Monday, August 11th, IPA leaders and friends held a celebratory rally at Withers Park in downtown Bloomington and then marched to the Government Center to deliver the, nearly 1750, signatures of Bloomington residents who believe that Bloomington city workers should be paid a living wage. The collection of these signatures will result in the people of Bloomington being given the opportunity to have their voices heard on the living wage issue when a non-binding resolution is placed on the ballot in the November election. This is a great success in the struggle for living wage!

The Central Illinois Organizing Project recently reinvigorated its living wage efforts, taking on two young organizers to head the campaign. The initial goal of this campaign was gathering petition signatures. Once a certain number of signatures were collected – 1,525 from registered Bloomington voters – a non-binding referendum will appear on the November ballot. IPA surpassed the 1,525 criteria in July. This will allow IPA, politicians, and the public to gauge public response to the Living Wage Issue.

IPA now begins the second part of the campaign: educating the public on the issue, and helping individuals understand just what it means to be part of a community that supports a Living Wage. The idea is this: let the people decide how much to pay their workers; let the people choose to make their town one that pays its workers a fair and decent wage; let the people create justice in Central Illinois.

IPA would like to thank the many volunteers from churches, unions, and neighborhood organizations who have participated in canvassing. – by Tyler Miller

As a faith-based organization, we see this as an issue of justice. IPA has led the fight to end predatory lending practices and has helped low and moderate income people purchase a home. We have fought for night bus service in Springfield, Illinois so those without cars and people with disabilities are not trapped at night. We work to help family farmers who practice responsible and sustainable agriculture. It is within this context that we are endorsing a living wage.

The development and moneyed interests are certainly being represented in our government and in this arena. We represent those who believe that this arena should benefit the entire community. We represent those who believe in hard work and see the benefits to the community and to the arena in paying a fair wage. We represent an inter-faith community that is unique in our area bringing together people of conscience to work for a just and prosperous community.

The term “living wage” is fluid. The actual amount varies from community to community based upon the cost of living in that community. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in 2006, an individual seeking a one-bedroom apartment in Bloomington would need to earn $9.52/hour to meet federal guidelines that individuals not spend more than 30% of his/her gross income for rent. There are many methodologies for determining what a living wage is in a community – we believe basic housing costs is an appropriate way – but there are others such as an increased percentage over poverty levels.

Living Wage seeks to responsibly and affordably raise the hourly rate for workers contracted or sub-contracted to the City of Bloomington, Illinois. This specifically includes part-time workers employed by the City (school crossing guards and City Hall janitors) and the hundreds of employees for the US Cellular Coliseum.

An anti-living wage argument raised by some is it shouldn’t apply for part-time workers. We couldn’t disagree more! One of the leading causes of poverty in central Illinois is underemployment. We are aware all too well that many low income citizens string together multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. In fact, we are aware of homeless citizens who work at the Coliseum to survive. Shouldn’t our community help them make a living wage?

• Jobs with the City of Bloomington should be a means out of poverty and not a means of perpetuating poverty.
• Our community has a right and an obligation to set wages for our own workforce.
• The 2006 Living Wage rate of $9.52 per hour equates to only about 10 cents per ticket at the new arena.

If we want to tackle poverty head-on we need to put more money in people’s pockets. Though the causes of poverty is multi-faceted, the leading factor in Central Illinois is underemployment. Underemployment is being employed but either through limited hours or being paid minimum wage (usually a combination) a wage earner finds themselves unable to be lifted out of poverty.

Though the state of Illinois minimum wage rate increased to $6.50 on January 1, 2005 (up from the federal minimum of $5.15), a worker must still work at least 53 hours to afford the same standard one-bedroom apartment in Bloomington-Normal, IL.