Tough Times
Report Shows Widening Wage Gap in Montana, Idaho
Jobs that pay a "living wage" are scarce in the Northwest, according to a new report from the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations.By Courtney Lowery, 12-10-08
A report released this week by a consortium of advocacy groups shows a widening gap between how much money families can earn in the Northwest and what they need to pay for basic living expenses.
The report, by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, compiles data to determine what a “living wage” would be in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon for five different types of families and then compares that with the number of jobs available in the region that would pay such a wage—which is not many. The report also looks at how many job seekers there are competing for each living-wage job. According to those two indicators, the report finds that “As the cost of living continues to increase, the Northwest economy is not creating enough living wage jobs for all those who need them...”
In the four-state region overall, 34 percent of job openings would pay less than a living wage for a single adult. For a single adult with two children, 81 percent of available jobs would pay a less than a living wage.
The gap is widest in Idaho, Montana and Oregon, depending on family size. In Montana, 40 percent of available jobs would pay less than the $10.95 an hour needed to provide a living wage for a single adult. For a family with two children and only one adult working, 85 percent of available jobs would pay less a living wage. In Idaho, 33 percent of jobs pay less than a living wage for a single adult and 82 percent of jobs pay less than a living wage for a family with two children and one adult working.
The reports authors use the data to suggest state governments make policy decisions that would increase the availability of jobs in the region that would pay a living wage.
“Ensuring the financial wellbeing of the residents of the region is a primary responsibility of state governments. These findings indicate that increasing access to work, without guaranteeing adequate wage levels and providing income supplements, is insufficient to fulfill that responsibility. To meet this challenge, lawmakers and policymakers have several options at their disposal to increase the number of living wage jobs and meet the basic needs of the region’s residents.”
The Northwest Federation of Community Organizations’ mission is to “advance a progressive national agenda by executing regional and national campaigns for economic, racial and social equity” and the includes the Idaho Community Action Network, Montana People’s Action, Oregon Action and Washington Community Action Network.
The report is based on 2007 data and the report points out, “As a result, they do not reflect the alarming economic trends of 2008, which make action on the part of lawmakers even more urgent.”
Click here for the full report, (PDF) including methodology.
Click here for county-by-county living wage data (PDF):
Montana
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
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