This article looks at 10 years of living-wage campaigns to draw out lessons for labor-movement revitalization. Living-wage advocates have succeeded in passing legislation, building labor-community coalitions, raising awareness on economic development and wage issues, assisting new union organizing and winning raises for already unionized workers. Unions could also benefit by following lessons based on the living-wage movement. For example, labor must develop long-term allies, create a moral vision of its own, work from inside and outside the political process to pass and then enforce laws, and do a better job at involving rank-and-file members.
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