The fight for fifteen : the right wage for a working America

"The fight for a higher minimum wage has become the biggest national labor story in decades. Beginning in November 2012, strikes by fast food workers spread across the country, landing in Seattle in May 2013. Within a year, Seattle had adopted a $15 minimum wage--the highest in the United States--without a bloody political battle. Combining history, economics, and commonsense political wisdom, The Fight for Fifteen makes a deeply informed case for a national $15/hour minimum wage as the only practical solution to reversing America's decades-long slide toward becoming a low-wage nation. Drawing both on new scholarship and on his extensive practical experiences organizing workers and grappling with inequality across the United States, David Rolf, president of SEIU 775--which waged the successful Seattle campaign--offers an accessible explanation of "middle out" economics, an emerging popular economic theory that suggests that the origins of prosperity in capitalist economies lie with workers and consumers, not investors and employers. A blueprint for a different and hopeful American future, The Fight for Fifteen offers concrete tools, ideas, and inspiration for anyone interested in real change in our lifetimes"-- Read more... Abstract: "The fight for a higher minimum wage has become the biggest national labor story in decades. Beginning in November 2012, strikes by fast food workers spread across the country, landing in Seattle in May 2013. Within a year, Seattle had adopted a $15 minimum wage--the highest in the United States--without a bloody political battle. Combining history, economics, and commonsense political wisdom, The Fight for Fifteen makes a deeply informed case for a national $15/hour minimum wage as the only practical solution to reversing America's decades-long slide toward becoming a low-wage nation. Drawing both on new scholarship and on his extensive practical experiences organizing workers and grappling with inequality across the United States, David Rolf, president of SEIU 775--which waged the successful Seattle campaign--offers an accessible explanation of "middle out" economics, an emerging popular economic theory that suggests that the origins of prosperity in capitalist economies lie with workers and consumers, not investors and employers. A blueprint for a different and hopeful American future, The Fight for Fifteen offers concrete tools, ideas, and inspiration for anyone interested in real change in our lifetimes" “Rolf shows that raising the minimum wage to $15 is both just and necessary, lest the American dream of middle class prosperity turn into a nightmare” (David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist). Combining history, economics, and commonsense political wisdom, The Fight for $15 makes a deeply informed case for a national fifteen-dollars-an-hour minimum wage as the only practical solution to reversing America’s decades-long slide toward becoming a low-wage nation. Drawing both on new scholarship and on his extensive practical experiences organizing workers and grappling with inequality across the United States, David Rolf, president of SEIU 775—which waged the successful Seattle campaign for a fifteen dollar minimum wage—offers an accessible explanation of “middle out” economics, an emerging popular economic theory that suggests that the origins of prosperity in capitalist economies lie with workers and consumers, not investors and employers. A blueprint for a different and hopeful American future, The Fight for $15 offers concrete tools, ideas, and inspiration for anyone interested in real change in our lifetimes. “The author’s plainspoken approach and stellar scholarship illuminate in-depth discussions about the deliberate policy decisions that began to decimate the middle class at the start of the 1980s as well as the insidious new ways in which big business continues to attack American workers today via stagnant wages, rampant subcontracting, unpredictable scheduling, and other detrimental practices associated with the so-called ‘share economy.’” —Kirkus Reviews “David Rolf has become the most successful advocate for raising wages in the twenty-first century.” —Andy Stern, senior fellow at Columbia University’s Richard Paul Richman Center for Business, Law, and Public Policy The Fight For A Higher Minimum Wage Has Become The Biggest National Labor Story In Decades. Beginning In November 2012, Strikes By Fast Food Workers Spread Across The Country, Landing In Seattle In May 2013. Within A Year, Seattle Had Adopted A $15 Minimum Wage-- The Highest In The United States-- Without A Bloody Political Battle. Combining History, Economics, And Commonsense Political Wisdom, The Fight For Fifteen Makes A Deeply Informed Case For A National $15/hour Minimum Wage As The Only Practical Solution To Reversing America's Decades-long Slide Toward Becoming A Low-wage Nation. Drawing Both On New Scholarship And On His Extensive Practical Experiences Organizing Workers And Grappling With Inequality Across The United States, David Rolf, President Of Seiu 775-- Which Waged The Successful Seattle Campaign-- Offers An Accessible Explanation Of 'middle Out' Economics, An Emerging Popular Economic Theory That Suggests That The Origins Of Prosperity In Capitalist Economies Lie With Workers And Consumers, Not Investors And Employers. A Blueprint For A Different And Hopeful American Future, The Fight For Fifteen Offers Concrete Tools, Ideas, And Inspiration For Anyone Interested In Real Change In Our Lifetimes-- America At 200 : The American Dream Versus The War On The Middle Class -- The New Work : Fissured, Flexible, Insecure -- It Doesn't Have To Be This Way : Resistance, Unrest, And Innovation -- The Little City That Could : Winning A $15 Wage In Seatac -- An American Wage For A Stranger America : The Case For $15 -- But The Sky Won't Fall? -- Toward A Different Future : $15 And Beyond -- Something's Happening. David Rolf ; Assisted By Corrie Watterson Bryant. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [263]-305) And Index. "The fight for a higher minimum wage has become the biggest national labor story in decades. Beginning in November 2012, strikes by fast food workers spread across the country, landing in Seattle in May 2013. Within a year, Seattle had adopted a $15 minimum wage--the highest in the United States--without a bloody political battle. Combining history, economics, and commonsense political wisdom, The Fight for Fifteen makes a deeply informed case for a national $15/hour minimum wage as the only practical solution to reversing America's decades-long slide toward becoming a low-wage nation. Drawing both on new scholarship and on his extensive practical experiences organizing workers and grappling with inequality across the United States, David Rolf, president of SEIU 775--which waged the successful Seattle campaign--offers an accessible explanation of "middle out" economics, an emerging popular economic theory that suggests that the origins of prosperity in capitalist economies lie with workers and consumers, not investors and employers. A blueprint for a different and hopeful American future, The Fight for Fifteen offers concrete tools, ideas, and inspiration for anyone interested in real change in our lifetimes"--Page 4 de la couverture "The fight for a higher minimum wage has become the biggest national labor story in decades. Beginning in November 2012, strikes by fast food workers spread across the country, landing in Seattle in May 2013. Within a year, Seattle had adopted a $15 minimum wage--the highest in the United States--without a bloody political battle. Combining history, economics, and commonsense political wisdom, The Fight for Fifteen makes a deeply informed case for a national $15/hour minimum wage as the only practical solution to reversing America's decades-long slide toward becoming a low-wage nation. Drawing both on new scholarship and on his extensive practical experiences organizing workers and grappling with inequality across the United States, David Rolf, president of SEIU 775--which waged the successful Seattle campaign--offers an accessible explanation of "middle out" economics, an emerging popular economic theory that suggests that the origins of prosperity in capitalist economies lie with workers and consumers, not investors and employers. A blueprint for a different and hopeful American future, The Fight for Fifteen offers concrete tools, ideas, and inspiration for anyone interested in real change in our lifetimes"-- Résumé de l'éditeur Content: Introduction -- America at 200: the American Dream versus the War on the Middle Class -- The new work: fissured, flexible, insecure -- It doesn't have to be this way: resistance, unrest, and innovation -- The little city that could: winning a $15 wage in SeaTac -- Fifteen for Seattle -- An American wage for a stronger America: the case for $15 -- But won't the sky fall? -- Toward a different future: $15 and beyond -- Afterword: Something's happening.