Current statistics indicate that 374,000
families and 477,000 individuals that are full time wage earners
are poor in Canada. Many more work part-time or shift work
and are still unable to make ends meet. Communities throughout
the world have begun to lobby on behalf of these “working
poor” through initiatives such as Living Wage movements.
One approach that communities are increasingly
looking to in order to address this challenge is to encourage
and support regional employers to pay better wages and employ
progressive human resource practices. There appears to be
at least two distinct approaches communities can use in their
efforts:
- A regulatory approach in which local collaborations
“advocate” that regional employers pay better
wages by lobbying large public (sometimes private) employers
– such as municipalities and post-secondary institutions
– to pass bylaws or policies that require themselves
and contractors to pay a wage above the poverty line.
- A voluntary approach in which local collaborations
“encourage” regional employers to voluntarily
improve their overall workplace practices – including
wages and benefits – through a variety of engagement
and social marketing techniques that highlight the benefits
of better workplace practices and share practical ways
they can employ such practices.
Several communities participating in the
Vibrant Communities initiative are targeting use one or more
of these strategies in their local work (i.e. Victoria, Waterloo,
Niagara, Calgary) and several others report that they are
exploring the possibilities of doing so (e.g. Edmonton, Surrey).
The Living Wage Learning Initiative is designed
to assist members of the Vibrant Communities Pan-Canadian
Learning Community get a better handle on if and how they
may productively employ either or both of these strategies
in their efforts to reduce poverty.
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Each of the fourteen communities participating
in Vibrant Communities can participate in the Living Wage
Learning Initiative. These are:
- Calgary, Alberta
- Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Montréal, Quebec
- Niagara Region, Ontario
- Saint John, New Brunswick
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- Surrey, British Columbia
- Toronto (Regent Park Neighbourhood), Ontario
- Trois-Rivières, Quebec
- Victoria (BC's Capital Region), British Columbia
- Waterloo Region, Ontario
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
In each participating community, a lead person
will support the work of a local learning group and facilitate
their involvement in the various learning opportunities offered
in the Living Wage Learning Initiative.
Tamarack will coordinate the overall work
of the tele-learning series, facilitating the tele-calls and
sharing background research.
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The purpose of the Living Wage Learning Initiative
is to identify and encourage communities to use community-based
strategies to increase incomes for low income residents and
substantially reduce poverty.
The objectives of the project include:
- To engage a broad and diverse group of participants
from communities involved in Vibrant Communities in learning
about living wage and progressive human resource practice
campaigns;
- To identify and share high impact strategies and initiatives
based on the experience of other communities that collaboration
members participating in Vibrant Communities can employ
in their local work;
- To provide practical resources (e.g., tools, research
paper, learning forums) to assist communities to integrate
high-impact, best practice strategies and initiatives
in their work;
- To identify lessons learned about community-based strategies
to expand income opportunities for low-income residents.
The expected timeline of the program is
from November 17, 2004 to February 1, 2005, though some peer
learning groups may continue their work beyond February.
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In this call, participant learned what a
living wage is and why living wage campaigns have been emerging.
Participants also learned about the kinds of outcomes that
can be expected (both positive and negative), what the challenges
are and what key things they should be looking for in a living
wage movement. Tamarack introduced and interviewed Stephanie
Luce, one the foremost experts on the Living Wage movement
in the United States and the author of the books Fighting
for Living Wage and Living Wage: Fighting for a Fair
Economy.
Related Links:
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In this tele-learning call, participants
learned some of the things businesses can do to ensure their
employees have decent wages, benefits and good progressive
human resource practices, the “case” for businesses
using these practices, and ways collaborations can encourage
regional employers to voluntarily adjust their.
Tamarack interviewed Joe Allen and Scott
Klinger. Joe Allen is one of the business persons that designed
and managed the Opportunities 2000 campaign to engage regional
businesses in learning about and adopting progressive workplace
practices. Scott Klinger is the co-director of Responsible
Wealth, a U.S. based group that promotes active corporate
citizenship.
Related Links:
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Developing a Living
Wage Campaign (Runs 1:06:05) |
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In this call, participants learned about how collaborations
develop and implement traditional living wage campaigns. Tamarack
interviewed Jen Kern, Director of the
Living
Wage Resource Center at
ACORN (Association for Community Organizing for Reform Now) and
an experienced organizer of local Living Wage campaigns. Jen
described five of the seven elements of a living wage campaign
and responded to questions from participants.
Related Links:
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Promoting HR Practices
(Runs 1:26:40) |
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Tamarack interviewed Jim Gordon of RBC and
Wes Worsfold of J2X Technologies, leaders of the Opportunities
2000 business-led campaign to engage regional businesses in
learning more about and adopting progressive workplace practices
to build their business and reduce poverty. Wes and Jim described
the basic elements of their campaign, the results of their
effort, and things they recommend improving upon. They also
responded to questions from participants.
Related Links:
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