Millions of workers – mostly women – struggle to make ends meet on minimum wage earnings. Women comprise nearly two-thirds of minimum-wage workers although they are only 49.2% of the employed population. They also comprise 61% of full-time minimum-wage workers (working 35 or more hours each week) and nearly two-thirds of workers in tipped occupations.

The share of women varies somewhat by state from a low of 47.7% in California to a high of 63.3% in Mississippi (www.epi.org/raising-federal-minimum-wage). They provide care for children and frail elders, clean homes and offices, and wait tables. Bringing home $10.10 an hour would mean more money for food, gas, diapers and shoes.

The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) provides important facts that defy our stereotypes about minimum-wage workers: more than three-quarters of women are 20 or older (not teenagers!) and most do not have a spouse’s income to rely on.

Full-time work at $7.25 an hour pays only $15,080 a year. That’s nearly $4,500 below the poverty level for a mom and two kids. It’s even slightly below the poverty level for a family of two. Increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, as proposed by the president and legislation pending in Congress, would boost annual earnings to about $20,200, enough to help pull a mom and her two kids out of poverty.

If the minimum wage had been indexed to inflation, as we do for Social Security, it would be $10.72 today. If it had grown at the same rate as productivity (which it did until the 1980s), it would be $18.30 today, according to an EPI study.

The declining real value of the minimum wage has significantly contributed to the enormous growth in U.S. income inequality. The gap between the minimum and average wages of typical American workers used to be much smaller than it is today. From the mid-sixties to the early 1980s, minimum-wage workers earned a wage that was equal to about half that of the typical American worker. Today’s minimum wage is equal to only about 36% of that worker (of course, much could be said about the inadequate “typical” wage today). But raising the minimum-wage to $10.10 by 2016 would return the minimum-wage to roughly 50% of the average production worker wage.

Increasing the minimum wage would boost wages for millions of working women and help close the wage gap. The EPI estimates that if the minimum wage were gradually increased to $10.10 per hour, almost 28 million workers would get a raise, including over 1 million workers earning slightly more than the minimum wage due to what economists call the “spillover effects.” The Center for American Progress concludes that about 55% of those directly affected and nearly 50% of those indirectly affected by the increase would be women. Similarly, women of color would be affected by the increase: 16% of affected female workers are African American, while 19% are Latina (www.americanprogressaction.org/women-are-the-biggest-losers…)

Since women are the majority of minimum-wage workers, raising the minimum-wage would help close the wage gap. The typical woman earns 77 cents for every dollar the typical man does; African-American women working full-time year round made only 64 cents; and Hispanic women only 54 cents for every dollar paid to their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts. The fact that all women are more likely to be minimum-wage earners than men contributes to that disparity.

Raising the minimum-wage would also strengthen the American economy. Increasing the wages paid to low-wage workers results in lower turnover, boosts worker efforts, and encourages employers to invest in their workers. Most minimum-wage workers need this income to make ends meet and tend to spend it quickly, boosting the economy. Research indicates that for every $1 added to the minimum-wage, low-wage worker households spent an additional $2800 the following year, thus increasing spending nationwide by about $48 billion, even benefiting the GDP (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago study entitled “The Spending and Debt Responses to Minimum-wage Increases”).

The federal minimum cash wage for employees in tipped occupations is $2.13 per hour, unchanged in over 20 years and less than one-third of the minimum-wage. Restaurant servers, the largest group of tipped employees, experience poverty at nearly three times the rate of the workforce as a whole — and about 70% of servers are women, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Because of the numbers of women involved, it’s worth examining the restaurant industry as a prime example of gender inequity. A recent study by the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United revealed:

• 66% of tipped workers are women who receive a pittance for a wage and often receive less than their share of tips
• Restaurant occupations are among the lowest paid in the U.S. and employ a majority of women who are paid below the poverty level
• Servers — of whom 71% are women — are almost three times more likely to be paid below the poverty level than the general workforce and nearly twice as likely to need food stamps as the general population
• Women are more often kept among the lower paid positions than in most industries; for example, women are hired for only 19% of chef positions, one of the highest paid in the restaurant business
• Women also are confined to the lower-paying segments of the industry, such as quick serve and family-style rather than the highest paying fine dining segment
• Women restaurant servers who are full-time are paid just 68% of what male servers are paid, even though they are considered in the same category of servers

The restaurant business is only one example of an industry where minimum wages and low-paid women predominate, where women receive unequal treatment and where poverty wages are the norm. One could just as easily have chosen the hotel industry, the healthcare industry or many others.

Raising the minimum-wage would allow almost 2.8 million women see their incomes rise above the poverty line. This one move alone wouldn’t solve all of the inequities women face in the labor market, but it would be a step in the right direction.

The unemployment rate dropped from 7.6 to 7.4% in July. That is good! Fewer people are applying for unemployment (UI) benefits. The reasons for the drop are not as encouraging. Job creation was less than expected. More people are dropping out of the ranks of those looking for work, or are among the long-term unemployed no longer eligible for UI benefits.

This article omits this as a reason to no longer be counted. So the “employment rate” remains about the same. Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas share a graph that could be scary.

The Urban Institute found that another reason for the decline in unemployment numbers is the increased number of young people who are just not entering the workforce. Some are returning to school; that’s a good thing. But, what about the others?

“The official unemployment rate only counts people actively looking for work. It’s dropped less because people have found work than because they’ve stopped looking. Ergo, there’s been no recovery — just a hardening of the post-recession labor market.” -Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas

Job growth continues to be stymied by federal budget cuts.  Again, this month, there were 12,000 job losses in the public sector (the way to “save” in cutting budgets is to eliminate workers). These were lost by men – although they gained 89,000 jobs in the private sector (in manufacturing and leisure/hospitality). Women did gain 3,000 public sector jobs in July, despite having lost 403,000 net public sector jobs since June of 2009.

When will some legislators learn that federal budget cuts increase unemployment, therefore reducing both state and federal revenue, and costing both in unemployment benefits?

NETWORK objects to large banks taking up a practiced being outlawed for “payday lenders” who have been charging up to 365% interest on small, short-term loans made available to people with poor credit ratings. We, with 250 organizations and advocates, support federal action to stop banks as well as payday lenders from engaging in these unethical practices.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau held a hearing in New York City.  Wells Fargo, a national bank, wants to bring its version of this (direct deposit advance) to New York.  The state has anti-usury laws which advocates see would be violated by this. Direct Deposit Advances are usually small loans, but the payments are taken directly out of the paycheck of the borrower. Evidence is that those who have relied on payday loans got caught in a cycle of loans due to inability to pay back on time. Loan built upon loan, with the interest accumulating with each additional loan. At least payday lenders were not able to take the payments by direct deposit. Borrowers would pay back the loan, but would lack money for other necessities, leading to another loan and so on.

A sign-on letter from the 250 organizations was hand-delivered to Director Cordray at the New York City meeting.

As I exited the building, I could still feel the emotionally charged atmosphere. On Monday, January 16, Interfaith Worker Justice hosted a service to honor Martin Luther King’s commitment to worker justice as part of their Faith Advocates for Jobs Campaign in Washington, D.C. The audience often joined in singing with the extremely talented Shiloh Baptist Church Choir and prayed with leaders from various religious denominations. Two individuals shared testimonials about their personal experiences as unemployed Americans, and overall, it was both a beautiful and inspiring service.

One of the most memorable segments of the service was the sermon given by Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr. I was surprised by how this small man, who began speaking in such a quiet, almost delicate voice, could give such a powerful sermon. Other persons who had previously heard Rev. Forbes speak gave me knowing smiles after I shared with them my awestruck reaction to his dynamic oration. He had the audience sitting on the edges of their seats for his entire message—one that could not be more timely.

I can’t speak for those who were alive during the 1963 March on Washington, but for those of us who have only heard about it, we think “Civil Rights,” “Integration,” “Equality,” “Racism.” In 2012, it is pertinent to remember the full title of this event in 1963: The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The original intent of the march was to go beyond racial equality, and to promote the basic right of people to have employment: that all may have a just wage; that all may have the opportunity to maintain a decent quality of life.

Civil rights are integrally connected with jobs. In order for people to achieve full dignity they need to have the means of earning a living and supporting their families. As Dr. King said on August 28, 1963, “Our emphasis must turn … to putting people to work … When they are placed in this position, they can then examine how to use their creative energies for the social good.”

When Rev. Forbes mentioned the parable of the lost sheep from the New Testament, I immediately thought of the Occupy movement and the increasing polarization between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” None of us can afford to be mentally “lost.” In order to make Martin Luther King’s vision a reality, we need 100% of Americans to be committed to promoting the common good. In this vein, let us not forget that freedom and responsibility are inseparable.

Rev. Forbes drew a tangible connection between the abstract vision that Dr. King had for our society and the concrete action that we can take to achieve this vision. We are God’s hands in putting our nation on the right track.

I will end by sharing a little food for thought from Rev. Forbes—What if each place of worship in the United States (e.g. church, mosque, synagogue, etc.) decided to take up a collection to hire someone to help with their community’s work, to pay a year’s worth of living wages for one person? Imagine the ripple effect that would occur. There would be one less unemployed individual, then 10 less, then 100 less, and if this happened across the nation…

Occupy Wall Street began with a few hundred people protesting the greed of Wall Street in Zuccotti Park in New York City. It has now grown into a movement of tens of thousands of people across the globe. The 99% have made their voices heard on every continent, including Antarctica. Some have mocked the Occupy protesters. Others believe the movement will simply fade away over time. However, the reality is the underlying concerns driving the movement will not fade away. If the top 1% of earners continues to increase their share of the nation’s income like they have over the last three decades, the Occupy movement will increase in numbers.

I was able to participate in the beginning stages of Occupy DC on Oct. 6 with four other NETWORK staff members. What I saw were people simply trying to achieve the American Dream by ending the horrendous wealth gap in the United States.

Watch what Andrea from Atlantic City had to say about the movement.

We must remember that Americans participating in these protests are individuals with their own stories. Dispersing them with flash grenades and tear gas, like police in Oakland California did, will not disperse their message. And most importantly, it will not resolve the very real and disturbing wealth gap our country is faced with.

Yesterday afternoon, I headed out of the NETWORK office with Matt, Eric, and Maggie to #occupyDC. Armed with Mind the Gap! info sheets, petitions, and stickers, we ventured into the crowd of people rallying at Freedom Plaza. At one entrance to the plaza, I traded a Mind the Gap! sticker for a flyer that read, “We are citizens, professionals, students, activists, parents, unemployed workers, voters, and the underrepresented who represent the 99%. We are interested in separating money from politics and improving the country’s infrastructure to fix healthcare, education, environment and the economy. We are a nonviolent, peaceful solidarity movement with Occupy Wall Street, and other Occupy Together events around the world. Together, we can shift power away from the top 1% and back to the people.”

It seemed as though Mind the Gap! had stepped out of this blog and into the streets of DC through the hearts of some very passionate people. The crowd was diverse in age and agenda, even the speakers – from a stage cloaked in a giant Constitution – covered topics from the tar sands pipeline, to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, to racism, the national budget, and corporate greed. Winding through the plaza to read signs, we stumbled across many messages, a man dressed as a “Corporate Hog” (complete with suit and snout) and a shantytown of cardboard boxes that passersby were personalizing with painted windows and flowers. The painted boxes had each been stamped with the word “FORECLOSED”.

I decided to engage someone sitting on the perimeter wall; he wore a few buttons indicating that he might be interested in hearing our Mind the Gap! message. He took the sticker I offered, but when I tried to hand him a Connection magazine about Mind the Gap! He said, “Oh, I don’t need that. I’ve been on NETWORK’s mailing list for years!” He had traveled from Minneapolis to be a part of the Occupy DC rally. A pair of women wandered by, and after my initial sticker, they asked if NETWORK was religious. Explaining that we were founded by Catholic nuns, they exclaimed, “Oh! We are the product of Catholic nuns! . . . I mean, they weren’t our mothers. They were our teachers!” Dorothy Day quotes and Pax Christi signs and t-shirts sprinkled the plaza. I felt energized, and proud of the people of our church.

On my metro ride home after dinner, a man sat down across from me, next to a women who was quietly working on a crossword puzzle. He grinned as he peeled off a sticker from his coat and explained to both of us, “That’s from the rally!” He had traveled from his home in Vermont to the march in New York on Wednesday, and from there decided to join the DC crowd for a day. Curious, I asked him what this movement meant to him. “This is about taking back our government, and our rights,” he began. He felt that people had the right to gather and express their opinions, and the violence of the police against protestors in New York had moved him to action. The women next to him nodded earnestly. He talked about the military budget, and the difficult economic situation we face. I told him about Mind the Gap! and he asked for information so he could find us online. He turned to the other woman. “What about you?” he asked. “Who do you work for?”

“A contractor for the Department of Defense,” she answered quickly, “I’m just an architect. And we do contract for other people, but mostly the DoD.” After a short pause she added, “But I would always support people’s right to gather nonviolently.”  We all smiled.

She asked about Vermont, and talked about bringing her Boy Scout troop up to hike and camp. He told a story about his nephew, an Eagle Scout. The door opened to my stop, and I thought for a moment about continuing the ride, and the conversation, but I needed to get home, so I thanked them for sharing some of their story with me and stepped off the train.

I was grateful for the chance, yesterday afternoon, to tell people what this movement meant to me and to Mind the Gap! I was grateful to find like-minds gathering on the square, to hear and see that other Catholics felt their faith called them to take action in shaping a just economy. But perhaps I am most grateful for the reminder that I got on the metro last night: that people at a rally or in a metro car are strangers with different stories who, despite our differences, have allies in each other. And together we can achieve something good.

P.S. The above photo appeared on the Washington Post’s online edition here. Can you spot our NETWORK banner and Associates Eric and Matt?