The Living wage. Progressive policy? Moral right?
As the most lucrative period in American history recedes, we’re still paying our workers $5.15 an hour. For the past 20 days, students at Harvard University have been asking simple question: Shouldn’t the minimum wage be enough to live on? They’ve besieged the President’s office, trying to get the world’s richest university to cough up 10.25 an hour , almost twice the federal minimum. The administration says it’s about collective bargaining and benefits, about education
But the students have the support of citizens around the country who’ve already fought the fight for higher wages, and brought a so-called living wage to cities across America. But is the living wage really going to help American Workers in the long run? And who decides how much it costs to live anyway?
(Hosted by Jack Beatty)
Guests:
Barbara Ehrenreich, Social Critic and author of the book, “Nickel and Dimed;”
Harold Meyerson, LA Weekly
Gregory Mankiw, Professor of Economics at Harvard University
David Neumark, Public Policy Institute of California and Professor of Economics at Michigan State.