tompkins county living wage employerstompkins county living wage employers

Racker, One of the Countys Largest Employers Certifies as Living Wage with Tompkins Workers Ctr. The Living Wage is calculated every two years and represents a minimum standard of living for a single person, including the cost of a 1-BR apartment, health insurance through the NYS Health Marketplace (Silver Plan), and taxes. The positive impact on living standards for workers increasing spending power, hence local demand, and in particular reducing race and gender inequality makes a powerful case for adopting the living wage, although. the current location. Greer said many were hesitant about the living wage, given that raising the wage would have challenges, such as reduced employee benefits. A Living Wage for Tompkins County, an Ithaca Co-Lab report, focuses on 40 employers including nine of the countys 10 largest. Alternatives study, conducted every two years, accounts for the average costs an individual may contend with; from housing, to car payments, to insurance, or a new pair of shoes. The Tompkins County Living Wage is calculated bi-annually by Alternatives Federal Credit Union. "Paying a living wage is not just about thousands of people who are better consumers, but thousands of people who are living better," Myrick said. The organization constantly recruits and cultivates participants in its work who join the organization as volunteers (from on-the ground workers and community union organizers to Leadership Team or committee members), who become members to support the organization's mission and be engaged participants in the movement. The study has taken on a life of its own in the 25 years since. It is the states authority. Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More The wage calculation represents a worker whose company covers health insurance. Doing business with a Living Wage employer is important to many of our members. Meyers added that one of the TCWCs goals is to focus on helping the care industry provide a living wage along with paying the living wage rate, the employers must adhere to additional conditions like not breaking labor laws and staying up to date on health and safety standards. The TCWC has organized several rallies and protests over the past few months for people to speak out on behalf of the workers. ); organized labor; and other allies whose areas of activity align with elements of the Workers' Center's work in behalf of working people. My guess/sense is that its cause they prolly tend to hire teens? The Tompkins County Workers Center publishes a list of Certified Living Wage Employers on their website. The research was commissioned by Tompkins County as part of the Tompkins County Living Wage Working Group. Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, who spoke at the announcement, said he believes AFCU is providing an important service to the community by studying the issue ofwages. Contact him at jjordan@ithacavoice.org Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media, Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance. If you do not currently satisfy the criteria but feel you do provide fair wages and livable jobs or would like to move in that direction, we would still encourage you to send in the form or call or e-mail us so we can talk more. The research team, led by ILR School Research Professor Ian Greer, director of the Ithaca Co-Lab, concluded: A living wage would not impact many employers already paying workers above the living wage. One. Working people spend much of their lives at work, but frequently people's experience in the workplace diminishes their fundamental human dignity through hostile work environments or by employers that violate workers' legal rights. The wage considers expenses such as housing, food, transportation, health care, internet service, a mobile phone and taxes. Help us get you more of the nonprofit information you need, including: An email has been sent to the address you provided. Story tips? In 2006, the Tompkins County Workers' Center created the first Living Wage Employer Certification program in the United States. Click on the link in that email The majority of employers that the reports authors spoke to supported a living wage as a minimum wage. Judy Ward The Workers Center awards a living wage certification to employers that commit to making the minimum they pay their employees what Alternatives calculates in its living wage study. TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. Would it be feasible for employers in Tompkins County if the minimum wage was set as a living wage a wage that would adjust as the cost of living changes, a wage that someone working 40 hours a week could meet all their living expenses with while also saving a little money? NYS Department of Labor, etc. Email contact available with a Pro subscription, Fundraising contact phone: (607) 269-0409. "For us, it's an important study because it shows what's going up in terms of cost of living," Myrick said. The New York State Legislature is expected to set its minimum wage policy this month. The researchers policy brief identifies issues brought up by employers: Greer said that while the working group does not take a definitive position on the subject, its analysis gives a clear indication that a substantial minimum wage increase would reduce inequity. That was a brutal time for the city we were facing layoffs and were looking at downsizing," Myrick said. The group also found that while employer opinions varied, most support the implementation of living wage legislation in principle. I am thrilled to say that the 735 staff at Racker are above that wage rate! The Tompkins County Workers' Center co-founded the national Living Wage Network with these and other organizations that certify Living Wage employers throughout the U.S. While some employers have committed to paying a Living Wage (see list of certified living wage employers here), most local workers have to depend only on the NYS minimum wage which is $12.50/hour in upstate New York, almost $3/hour LESS than a Living Wage. Dan Brown, Executive Director at Racker, stated that reaching this goal was a team effort, and financially acknowledges the value of our staff and their impact on our Mission: We support people with disabilities and their families to lead fulfilling lives by providing opportunities to learn and be connected with others. And what would the effects of that change be on workers in the county? TC Workers' Center (Leadership Team Chair), TC Workers' Center (Leadership Team co-chair). The Tompkins County Workers' Center (TCWC) launched its living wage employer certification program in 2006. Societal transformation such that all people are treated fairly at work and receive livable wages, even at a local level, cannot be achieved by any single organization or group of organizations. Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress. Order online for take-out, delivery, or curbside pick-up. The Tompkins County Workers' Center (TCWC) has certified the City of Ithaca as a living wage employer, making the city the 93 rd entity to receive the designation. "The living wage is one step in helping to ensure that people have a good solid financial footing here," Graham added. Your email address will not be published. about GuideStar Pro. While living wage is not enforced or required, many employers choose to become living wage certified within the community. WE WILL SUPPORT, ADVOCATE FOR, AND SEEK TO EMPOWER EACH OTHER TO CREATE A MORE JUST COMMUNITY AND WORLD.The Tompkins County Workers' Center primarily serves workers in Tompkins County, New York, and the surrounding Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions. 2023 Alternatives Federal Credit Union. According to estimates from research published in May 2021, 660 Black workers in Tompkins County made less than a living wage and 343 made more. More by Jimmy Jordan, The Ithaca Voice's nonprofit newsroom is committed to serving our readers with in-depth local reporting and resources to keep our community informed and better able to engage in the civic life of our incredible place. If your health insurance is provided and 100% paid by . The assumption is the sole provider is working The report also discusses benefits cliffs, in which workers receiving means-tested benefits such as SNAP and Medicaid could lose their benefits, and the value is not made up by the minimum wage increase. We have raised standards, held institutions accountable, and built leadership as part of local, statewide and global networks to transform the economic system.The leadership of the Workers' Center has active and equal participation from all the social groups in our county, including people of all class, racial and ethnic backgrounds, immigrant statuses, genders, sexual orientations, religions, ages, and abilities. This is why our County Legislature needs to establish the Living Wage as a County Minimum Wage. Get Cornell news delivered right to your inbox. This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? The Tompkins County Workers' Center (TCWC) launched its living wage employer certification program in 2006. Portions Copyright Kasasa, Ltd. All rights reserved. Most businesses had misgivings about raising wages, but some cited advantages. It's very expensive to live here. A verification email has been sent to you. They provide a wide continuum of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. During this nine-year journey, Racker implemented organizational changes that included efficiencies that moved money to staff wages, particularly for those providing direct care. Ithaca Bakery is very proud to be a Living Wage employer, in fact the largest privately owned living wage employer in Tompkins County. The program also provides advocacy for living wage standards in the community in general, and education about costs of living. The organization has some program impacts in other parts of New York and the United States including collaborations with other organizations and creation of models for community-based and grassroots labor oriented programs. We have continued to update this study every two years. All rights reserved. TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y.The living wage in Tompkins County has increased from $15.32 an hour to $16.61 as of July 27, 2022, announced the Tompkins County Workers Center (TCWC) and Alternatives Federal Credit Union (AFCU), the two organizations that collaborate to update the wages in the county. Read about the Co-Labs 2022 report on the living wage. The Tompkins County Workers' Center's Community Union Organizers are another component of its organizing presence. Make a choice for a more economically just community. The Tompkins County Workers' Center provides Occupational Safety and Health training for workers at diverse workplaces such as manufacturing facilities, offices, farms, and others, in addition to various other venues like English as a Second Language courses, unions, and interested organizations. If your business or non-profit satisfies the criteria, please fill out the form and send it back to us. Their values vary by family size, composition, and Currently, the living wage for Tompkins County is $16.61 per hour, while upstate New Yorks current minimum wage is $13.20 per hour. "We think it is very valuable to the community because it says to employers and employees, here is a study that looked at what wages an employee should earn to have a basic quality of lifethat a person should be earning working 40 hours a week," said Karl Graham,chief of community development at AFCU. In collaboration with 24 different labor unions and related labor organizations (and growing) in New York's Tompkins and Cortland Counties, the Workers' Center coordinates a central networking and mutual aid group for organized labor. We have converted it to an hourly wage for the $15.32/hour, Troy, is Living Wage for Ithaca (and all of Tompkins County, for that matter), Gio The living wage shown is the hourly rate that an individual in a household must earn to Among the biggest Certified Living Wage Employers are The City of Ithaca and Tompkins County. Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Posted here, the report is part of the Tompkins County Living Wage Working Group research begun in 2018 by ILR School faculty and students. The group found that only 2% to 3% of workers would lose benefits from government assistance programs such asSupplemental Nutrition Assistance or Medicaid if they received raises. It takes a wage of $14.28 to live in Tompkins County, according to a recently updated study of the issue. Connect with him on Twitter @jmmy_jrdn This program has been replicated by organizations around the U.S., and two of these (Interfaith Worker Justice in Chicago, IL, and Just Economics in Asheville, NC) worked with TCWC to create a guide on how to start such a program. Racker currently employs 735 staff in Tompkins, Cortland and Tioga Counties. The research behind the report extends back to 2018, when a working group was convened with the goal of determining the feasibility of making the minimum wage a livable one, which is currently calculated at $16.61 an hour. Julie Greco is a senior communication specialist in the ILR School. report, focuses on 40 employers including nine of the countys 10 largest. Ithaca Bakery, along with sister brand Collegetown Bagels, is extremely proud to be able to make this commitment as a fair and equitable employer in the community. The Living Wage is calculated every two years and represents a minimum standard of living for a single person, including the cost of a 1-BR apartment, health insurance through the NYS Health Marketplace (Silver Plan), and taxes. Governor Kathy Hochul announced that state lawmakers, Update: Air quality warning extended for third time through Friday night, Your guide to Fourth of July festivities around the area, First harmful algal bloom spotted in north Cayuga Lake, monitoring continues, Razor-thin Ithaca primaries likely to trigger three manual recounts, City officials hopeful for $12 million FEMA grant for flood risk mitigation project, Police start kidnapping, homicide investigation for missing person, Town of Caroline voters pick incumbents in Democratic primary amid zoning tension, Firearm safety ordinance tabled in Common Council committee, Planning Board Recap: Warm welcome given to West End supportive housing, Ithaca 2030 District sees progress towards greener urban core, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Two of every five workers in Tompkins County earn less than $16.61 an hour. The average energy bill will drop when Ofgem cuts its price cap on Saturday amid . The local discussion is part of a broader public debate. When we are happy, we transfer that happiness to the people around us. The study, which has served as an important benchmark of affordability in Tompkins for 25 years, showed an increase from 2017 of 38 cents, or just over 2.5%. At that time, the Tompkins County Living Wage standard was $12.42. Through the campaign the Tompkins County Workers' Center also advocates along with other human service agencies such as those providing services for disabled persons, to establish more reasonable funding through Medicaid or other programs that can translate into better wages for woefully underpaid direct service professionals. Learn more about Employer Living Wage Certification. one of the coming year (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2019). THE MISSION OF THE TOMPKINS COUNTY WORKERS' CENTER IS TO STAND UP WITH ALL PEOPLE TREATED UNFAIRLY AT WORK. is politically contentious, and the Tompkins County Legislature recently passed a resolution supporting an increase to $21.25 by 2027. Between 2021 and 2022, rent increased 7.54%, food increased 7.97%, transportation including driving alone, carpooling, public transit and biking increased 22.25%, miscellaneous needs like cleaning supplies, clothing, personal care and services all increased 7.11%, and taxes 11.59%. Other findings in recent years by the Co-Lab team include: Workers of color, particularly Black workers, are more than twice as likely to earn less than white workers. Seven employers against the living wage in 2019 changed their minds in 2022 due to pandemic-era shortages. Employers said paths to offering the living wage include flexible work design, new revenue-generating activities, increasing efficiency, raising prices, cutting jobs, intensifying work, shifting benefits costs, reducing investment, and reducing charitable giving.. Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Every time they update the study, it cost us a little money, but it's worth it.". Out of roughly 51,000 workers who live in Tompkins County, approximately 2/5 (39.7%) earn less than $16.61 per hour. Tompkins County has a new Living Wage. Being happy at work and being happy at home go hand in hand. Any idea if this will get updated sooner than two years considering the recent surge in inflation? The assumption is the sole provider is working full-time (2080 hours per year). It requires an actively engaged community of people who stand together to create this change. Data are updated annually, in the first quarter of the new year. Currently, as of July 27, 2022, in Tompkins County the living wage is $16.61/hour for a single person. Minimum wages have not kept pace with costs of living (especially in Tompkins County, NY, where the Living Wage needed to meet basic expenses without public assistance is presently $15.11/hr). With the living wage in Ithaca currently at $16.61 per hour, according to the AFCU Living Wage Study, with tips and health insurance contribution (where applicable) we are paying a wage that is far above both the minimum wage and what is typical for the food industry. . The living wage is the basis for the Tompkins County Worker's Center living wage employer certification program. It also has deep connections to other community service and social justice organizations; local governments; state and federal government agencies (e.g. July 17, 2021 @ The Tompkins County Workers' Center consequently works to provide Support, Advocacy, Empowerment, and Movement Building for the benefit of all working people and to create cultures of dignity and fair pay for all workers, and when necessary redress for violations of people's rights. two working adults, all values are per working adult, single or in a family unless otherwise noted. In addition, we provide many additional benefits like: discounts, retirement plan with matching, meal credits, dental insurance, medical insurance, paid benefit time and holiday pay. Racker currently employs 735 staff in Tompkins, Cortland and Tioga Counties. , director of the Ithaca Co-Lab, concluded: A living wage would not impact many employers already paying workers above the living wage. This program has significant public education elements, highlighting the unusually high costs of living in Tompkins County (ranked 8th most expensive place to raise a family in the U.S. by the Economic Policy Institute; 2nd most expensive place to buy health insurance by a Time Magazine analysis; the most expensive place to rent housing in Upstate New York -- tied with Jefferson County -- by Housing & Urban Development fair market rate figures, with rentals accounting for 74 percent of occupied housing units, twice the national average; and so on). The Tompkins County Workers' Center facilitates workers building connections with each other within their workplaces and in general to develop organizing skills. Download the Living Wage Employer Certification Criteria and a 2021 Living Wage Certification application. Living Wage Employer Certification Criteria, 2021 Living Wage Certification application. "But we were also paying employees poverty wages. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Pete Meyers, Coordinator of TCWC says: The TCWC views Rackers willingness and commitment to pay all of their workers a Living Wage, especially considering the fact that the industry that Racker occupies doesnt typically pay all of its workers a Living Wage, a tremendous achievement by Racker, and were very thankful for Dan Browns work to make a Living Wage a reality for all Racker staff!. These are some of the questions taken up in a recently published report, titled A Living Wage for Tompkins County? from the Ithaca Co-Lab at Cornell Universitys School of Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR).