The Living Wage: How Effective is it?
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Authors
Weatherhead, Lucas
Issue Date
2001
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
The first living wage ordinance was passed in Baltimore in 1994. Since then over 100 cities have
adopted similar living wage laws in an attempt to reduce urban poverty. This report looks at an
actual campaign case study. More research is needed to verify assumptions made by both
opponents and proponents of living wage ordinances. A brief survey of the Living Wage is given
for the purpose of deriving meaning, need, and motivation behind the modem living wage
movement. After examination of different living wage sources of data and analysis this study
determined that the future effectiveness of a particular living wage ordinance cannot be accurately
determined by living wage proposal analyses because they tend to reflect the bias of the author.
A more practical measure of the policy's effectiveness in reducing poverty is provided for in
empirical analyses of cities with living wages and cities without living wages. The conclusions
drawn from these analyses are reflections of the very short run at best and more study will be
necessary to determine the ultimate success or failure of this method of poverty reduction.
Description
274 p.
Citation
Publisher
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.