Key Players

Identifying allies

Living wage campaigns begin with local grassroots efforts.  Such efforts include word of mouth campaigns, passing out fliers, sending notices, and contacting potential members through community leaders. 

Coalition building relies on a triangle of participating organizations-community, labor, and faith-based groups. 

Community groups include providers of social services, such as homeless shelters; groups that work on sustainable community development; groups that work on issues of economic justice including civic associations, neighborhood groups, colleges and local chapters of national civil rights groups (i.e. NOW, NAACP, Urban League, ACORN, etc).

Labor Unions have a central interest in fighting for a living wage.  Enacting living wage provisions help strengthen the overall bargaining position of unions by raising the wage floor.  The participation of unions can deliver their strong alliance networks and relationships with local politicians.  Service sector unions are almost universally involved in local living wage campaigns.

Faith-based organizations , as providers of social services, intimately understand the needs of their communities and offer a source of moral authority to build public will through their members. 

Coalition building is time intensive-taking months or years to develop strong relationships and successful campaigns.  It requires long-term commitment and participation by both labor and community organizations.