Activists Launch Living Wage NYC Campaign (5/25/10)

A broad coalition of unions, community groups, and elected officials joined together today at New York’s City Hall to announce the launching of the Living Wage NYC campaign. The goal of the campaign is to pass the Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act, a law which would guarantee that when the city gives businesses public subsidies, the jobs they create will pay at least a living wage.  All workers employed at subsidized developments will be covered, including employees at retail stores located in subsidized shopping centers, concession workers at stadiums and cafeteria workers in subsidized office buildings.

 
“New York City needs to join the growing list of communities that promote quality development through living wages.  Development that merely creates permanent poverty wage jobs accomplishes nothing,” RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum (above) said.

“Too many people in this city are hurting, worrying about how they will survive, unable to find good jobs.  We need to put the interests of the people of this city above those of private developers.  When the public's resources are used to support private development, the public has the right to expect something in return - and for us that means good jobs, jobs that pay living wages,” Appelbaum added.

One of the supporters of the bill, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., (above) called the bill a “top priority” of his administration.

“Today, we begin the process of making this law a reality. When developers rely on the taxpayers’ wallets to make their projects work, they must guarantee that the jobs created at that project will offer its employees more than just a part-time, minimum wage job with no benefits. The Fair Wages for New Yorkers Act will ensure that heavily subsidized developments create meaningful jobs for their future employees,” Diaz, Jr., said.

"I am sponsoring this legislation because I believe that when public subsidies are involved, the people that receive those subsidies should not be paying poverty-level wages. They should be required to pay a living wage," said Council Member G. Oliver Koppell who is introducing the bill with Council Member Annabel Palma.

"Lots of people my age are moving out and getting ready to build a life on their own, but everything is so expensive right now. I work every single day and when I get my paycheck at the end of the week I feel like it's gone in the blink of an eye. That's why I'm here today, to fight for a living wage," said Nadia Yakubova, a low-wage retail worker.

For more information, visit the new living wage website.