Raise the Wage: Value Work, Value Worker Dignity

BY CHRIS KERR | July 10, 2014

Across the country campaigns to “raise the wage” at the local, state and the federal levels are growing.  Recent campaign success has been illustrated by a Massachusetts’s increase to $11.00 per hour by 2017 and the city of Seattle’s increase to $15.00 per hour.  Earlier this year Minnesota raised the state’s guaranteed wage by more than $3, to $9.50, by 2016. California, Connecticut and Maryland also have passed laws increasing their respective wages to $10 or more in coming years.

The Ignatian Solidarity Network in partnership with the U.S. Jesuit Conference have collaborated to support the dignity of workers nationally by advocating to raise the federal minimum wage.  We are joined by Arun Ivatury, campaign strategist at the National Employment Law Project where he leads the campaign to pass a minimum wage increase at the federal level and supports NELP’s broader work to ensure quality jobs for all working people.  Arun came to NELP after nearly 13 years at the Service Employees International Union and its local affiliates, where he worked in a variety of roles to organize and raise wages for some of the country’s most vulnerable workers. Arun joined us from the NELP offices in Washington, D.C.

You can find more information about NELP’s campaigns to “Raise the Wage” here.

Christopher Kerr

Chris joined the Ignatian Solidarity Network (ISN) as executive director in 2011. He has over fifteen years of experience in social justice advocacy and leadership in Catholic education and ministry. Prior to ISN he served in multiple roles at John Carroll University, including coordinating international immersion experience and social justice education programming as an inaugural co-director of John Carroll’s Arrupe Scholars Program for Social Action. Prior to his time at John Carroll he served as a teacher and administrator at the elementary and secondary levels in Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Chris speaks regularly at campuses and parishes about social justice education and advocacy, Jesuit mission, and a broad range of social justice issues. He currently serves on the board of directors for Christians for Peace in El Salvador (CRISPAZ). Chris earned a B.A. and M.A. from John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. He and his family reside in Shaker Heights, Ohio.