Case Study: Livable Wages for All Workers

Vermont Livable Wage Campaign
Peace & Justice Center

In the fall of 1996, Burlington’s Peace & Justice Center established the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign- made up of local livable wage coali-tions, religious and non profit organizations, un-ions, and low income advocates around the state - to mobilize Vermonters on the livable wage issue. They have brought together local and state gov-ernment agencies, businesses, social service agen-cies, and this grassroots coalition to implement policies that will promote the creation of livable wage jobs in Vermont. They are also working closely with state and local economic development agencies to revamp the indicators used in judging the relative health and well-being of Vermont's economy and its citizens.

Over the last four years, the Center has far sur-passed its original goal of simply producing a credible research project on the need for more liv-able wage jobs in Vermont. The VT Job-Gap Study has significantly impacted the dialogue about sustainable economic development in Vermont and has been an effective vehicle for discussing complex economic issues which negatively impact low wage workers.

As a result of their efforts, the Vermont Legislature passed a $.50 increase in the minimum wage in 1999, and another $.50 increase in 2000. The cities of Burlington, Montpelier and Barre have passed Livable Wage ordinances for their city employees, and the Vermont State Employees Association won a contract establishing $8.10 /hr as a floor for all state employees.

Furthermore, as the push for system-wide eco-nomic change continues, town meeting resolutions calling on the legislature and state officials to do more to create livable wage jobs have passed in Calais, Marshfield, Plainfield, Putney and Brattleboro. In addition, the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution at their 1999 annual meeting supporting the Vermont Livable Wage Campaign.

The Vermont Job Gap Study Phases 1-6