In 1994, Baltimore was the first city to pass a living wage ordinance. Since then Los Angeles, Santa Monica, New Orleans, Boston, Hartford, and New Haven passed laws that legislate for a "living wage" in local areas. A living wage represents customized earnings that incorporate the cost of local housing, travel, day care, food and other monthly living expenses into its calculation.
In Fighting for a Living Wage, Professor Stephanie Luce examines the living wage movement, concluding that effective execution of these policies is far more difficult to realize than their actual passage. Luce points to many reasons why this happens, and identifies several factors that lead to their success.
After examining the political and economic context, Luce provides an overview of the ten-year-old movement in the U.S., analyzing goals of the campaigns, the resources needed, and details of ordinances. Profiles of successful living wage campaigns in Boston, Tucson, and Cincinnati are featured along with a struggling initiative in Providence, RI. These stories illustrate the strategies, compromises, and coalitions created by many advocates.
In the end, Luce's book is an important contribution to the field of labor studies both for its detailed examination of the living wage movement and for its broader insight into the dynamics of social and economic grass roots efforts.—Mallory Stark