The Central Illinois Organizing Project recently reinvigorated its living wage efforts, taking on two young organizers to head the campaign. The initial goal of this campaign was gathering petition signatures. Once a certain number of signatures were collected - 1,525 from registered Bloomington voters - a non-binding referendum will appear on the November ballot. CIOP surpassed the 1,525 criteria in July. This will allow CIOP, politicians, and the public to gauge public response to the Living Wage Issue.

CIOP now begins the second part of the campaign: educating the public on the issue, and helping individuals understand just what it means to be part of a community that supports a Living Wage. The idea is this: let the people decide how much to pay their workers; let the people choose to make their town one that pays its workers a fair and decent wage; let the people create justice in Central Illinois.

CIOP would like to thank the many volunteers from churches, unions, and neighborhood organizations who have participated in canvassing. - by Tyler Miller

As a faith-based organization, we see this as an issue of justice. CIOP has led the fight to end predatory lending practices and has helped low and moderate income people purchase a home. We have fought for night bus service in Springfield, Illinois so those without cars and people with disabilities are not trapped at night. We work to help family farmers who practice responsible and sustainable agriculture. It is within this context that we are endorsing a living wage.

The development and moneyed interests are certainly being represented in our government and in this arena. We represent those who believe that this arena should benefit the entire community. We represent those who believe in hard work and see the benefits to the community and to the arena in paying a fair wage. We represent an inter-faith community that is unique in our area bringing together people of conscience to work for a just and prosperous community.

The term "living wage" is fluid. The actual amount varies from community to community based upon the cost of living in that community. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, in 2006, an individual seeking a one-bedroom apartment in Bloomington would need to earn $9.52/hour to meet federal guidelines that individuals not spend more than 30% of his/her gross income for rent. There are many methodologies for determining what a living wage is in a community - we believe basic housing costs is an appropriate way - but there are others such as an increased percentage over poverty levels.

Living Wage seeks to responsibly and affordably raise the hourly rate for workers contracted or sub-contracted to the City of Bloomington, Illinois. This specifically includes part-time workers employed by the City (school crossing guards and City Hall janitors) and the hundreds of employees for the US Cellular Coliseum.

An anti-living wage argument raised by some is it shouldn't apply for part-time workers. We couldn't disagree more! One of the leading causes of poverty in central Illinois is underemployment. We are aware all too well that many low income citizens string together multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. In fact, we are aware of homeless citizens who work at the Coliseum to survive. Shouldn't our community help them make a living wage?

• Jobs with the City of Bloomington should be a means out of poverty and not a means of perpetuating poverty.
• Our community has a right and an obligation to set wages for our own workforce.
• The 2006 Living Wage rate of $9.52 per hour equates to only about 10 cents per ticket at the new arena.

If we want to tackle poverty head-on we need to put more money in people's pockets. Though the causes of poverty is multi-faceted, the leading factor in Central Illinois is underemployment. Underemployment is being employed but either through limited hours or being paid minimum wage (usually a combination) a wage earner finds themselves unable to be lifted out of poverty.

Though the state of Illinois minimum wage rate increased to $6.50 on January 1, 2005 (up from the federal minimum of $5.15), a worker must still work at least 53 hours to afford the same standard one-bedroom apartment in Bloomington-Normal, IL.

Living Wage surfaced as an organizing issue in Bloomington-Normal through a CIOP "People-talking-to-people" meeting, January 2004. Much of the conversation surrounded what the CIOP response should be to the construction of a new City bonded $30 million sports and entertainment arena (now estimated to cost at least $40 million) and its anticipated hiring of between 200-300 part-time workers. Research on employees of the City of Bloomington disclosed that while nearly all full-time and permanent part-time workers earn more than $9 hour, workers contracted through the city such as janitorial staff and school crossing guards did not. The under construction Bloomington sports and entertainment arena consultant estimated that between 200-300 workers would be hired for concerts (fewer for hockey games and other events) at minimum wage.

CIOP sought an ordinance that would raise city and city contracted workers wages to at least the Living Wage rate and pro-rate annual increases to the cost-of-living. The ordinance language was negotiated between CIOP leaders and Bloomington City Manager Tom Hamilton during the summer of 2004. Critical to a full understanding of CIOP's Living Wage ordinance is its applicability to only the "public sector". Hundreds of residents attended community meetings and smaller meetings with Bloomington Aldermen. In November 2004, the Bloomington City Council voted 4-4, and unfortunately the outgoing Mayor vetoed the living wage ordinance.

Since that vote, CIOP has focused on securing a Living Wage policy for the Coliseum from the private management company (Central Illinois Arena Management) contracted to oversee operations. To date CIAM has refused to negotiate with CIOP regarding living wage. CIOP continues to create a sense of urgency for CIAM by engaging in a direct action at management offices with over 100 residents. The organization continues to develop strategy to share the living wage concept with the larger community, and engage in ways to compel CIAM to negotiate.

Then on March 31, 2005, over 120 CIOP leaders from Bloomington-Normal met with Mayor elect Steve Stockton on the issue. He responded unequivocally in support for Living Wage and further committed to meet with CIOP within 30 days and place Living Wage as a early policy of his administration. Roughly a week afterwards two incumbent City Council supporters of Living Wage were defeated in their re-election bids. CIOP leaders plan to continue to meet with Mayor Stockton regarding Living Wage. Also, leaders anticipate meeting with the two newly elected members of the City Council regarding their position on the issue.