Rabbis Support Living Wage

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Jews United For Justice (JUFJ) recently released a statement calling on Washington leaders to adopt a strong Living Wage law to protect area workers. The statement, signed by 35 area Rabbis, recognizes the new economic difficulties facing working people in the city. The District of Columbia, the statement notes, has seen housing costs skyrocket while fewer affordable living units are available and because wages have not kept pace, many full-time workers are now living well below the poverty line.  The letter cites “Judaism’s rich teachings of fairness and economic justice towards working people” as an impetus for their concern, and concludes by calling on city officials to enact “the Way to Work Bill without delay, and create a model living wage of $11.75/hr for our city’s workers.” The Council took a preliminary vote in support of the bill last Tuesday; the final vote is March 8.