A nonpartisan grassroots movement
Affordability is the crisis of our time. Every American deserves to earn enough to live with dignity. Not just survive. Live.
Our plan: millions of signatures on the pledge, all 535 members of Congress on the record, and a living wage enacted by 2030. See how ›
Chapter 1
The richest country in the world is leaving its people behind. Affordability has become a crisis, and most Americans are feeling it every single day.
of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
of young adults live with their parents. That's higher than during the Great Depression.
in credit card debt. Americans can't afford their lives.
of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills, and 75% of those people had insurance.
So what's at the root of all this?
Chapter 2
That's the federal minimum wage. It hasn't changed since 2009.
$7.25 is a joke. But let's be clear: $15 per hour won't cut it either.
The 2025 poverty level for a single person is $15,650. A full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage makes just $15,080, literally below the poverty line. Even $15/hr doesn't provide an adequate income in major metro areas. The minimum wage isn't just broken. It's dead. The entire dialogue needs to shift to a living wage.
~$15,080/year, barely above the poverty line.
~$50,000+/year. Enough to live with dignity.
A living wage covers the basics: Food, Shelter, Healthcare, Childcare, Education, and the ability to Save. No more than 30% on housing. Enough to actually live, not just exist.
The Next Generation
Two entire generations, the largest in American history, are facing a reality their parents never did: working full-time and still not being able to afford the basics.
The median home price is now over 5x the median household income. For previous generations, it was 2-3x.
$1.7 trillion in student loans. The cost of education has risen 1,200% since 1980 while wages stayed flat.
Financial stress is the #1 driver of anxiety for young Americans. They're not lazy. The system is rigged against them.
If you're a Gen Z or Millennial who's tired of being told to "work harder" while the deck is stacked against you: this movement is for you.
Think About It
Elon Musk's fortune grew by roughly $50 million every hour over the past year, around the clock, including while he slept. The janitor who mops the floor of his Tesla factory can make as little as $15.
That worker would need to work 13 million years to earn what Musk's net worth gained in a single year.
We're not against anyone earning what they can. We just believe everyone deserves enough to live.
The Reality
Americans are constantly told we're the best. The data tells a very different story. Among developed nations, we rank near the bottom on the things that matter most.
Highest per capita spend of any developed country, yet the lowest life expectancy and highest infant mortality rate.
U.S. students rank 34th in math, 9th in reading, and 16th in science among developed nations.
Worst of the developed countries for early childhood investment. U.S. spends $500/child vs. $14,000 average.
Of personal bankruptcies are caused by medical bills, and 78% of those people had health insurance.
The U.S. is the only major developed country that does not provide or mandate parental leave.
Americans save 4.6% of income vs. 15.3% in Europe. Lower-income Americans are locked out of investment tools.
Addressing Affordability Since Day One
The buzz word in the media is AFFORDABILITY, but FFLW has been fighting for affordability since our inception. Affordability isn't a talking point for us. It's our entire mission.
Our Mission
Fight For A Living Wage is a nonpartisan, grassroots 501(c)(3) movement dedicated to ensuring every American who works full-time can afford the basics: food, shelter, healthcare, childcare, education, and the ability to save. We advocate, educate, empower, and hold elected officials accountable, because a living wage isn't a political issue. It's a human one.
Leading with care in every conversation, every policy, every action we take.
Understanding the struggles of working Americans because we've lived them too.
Walking in the shoes of every worker who's been told they don't deserve more.
Chapter 3
Fight For A Living Wage is building a national grassroots movement to make the living wage the standard, not the exception.
Push for policies that ensure every full-time worker earns a living wage.
Spread the truth about wage inequality and what a living wage actually means.
Build grassroots networks that amplify the voices of working Americans.
Rate elected officials on their commitment to a living wage for all.
Chapter 4
Our strategy has two prongs, and they are the same pledge asked in two directions. We ask the American people to sign it. Then we ask every member of Congress to sign the very same thing, and we publish what they say.
The Pledge for a Living Wage and Human Dignity is a public commitment to one principle: full-time work should cover the basics, and every worker is owed dignity. It costs nothing to sign, and it builds what no wage campaign has had before, a named national constituency that can actually be counted.
Signers become advocates. Every name is one more person a member of Congress has to answer to.
Take the PledgeThe Elected Official Accountability Program sends that same pledge to every voting member of Congress, 435 in the House and 100 in the Senate. Answers and silences both go into a public database that any constituent can search.
This is community education, not pressure politics. Citizens and community institutions get to see who supports a living wage and decide for themselves.
Point of Arrival
FFLW's five-year strategic plan sets one destination. Everything above is how we get there.
30,048 Americans have signed the pledge.
EOAP launches. The pledge goes to all 535 members of Congress and the public record opens.
The signature drive scales toward millions. The accountability record stays current and open.
The 121st Congress enacts legislation guaranteeing every full-time working American a living wage.
Two things move this timeline: signatures and funding. Both take about a minute.
Americans have pledged
Next milestone: 50,000
Recognizing the inherent dignity of every individual, we pledge to uphold the principle of a living wage as essential for the well-being and flourishing of all Americans.
This is the same pledge we are sending to all 535 members of Congress in January. Every signature makes that ask harder to ignore.
Take the PledgeChapter 5
We're an all-volunteer team united by one belief: every American deserves dignity.
Former IBEW union member who rose to become CEO of a NYSE publicly traded company with 7,000 employees. He's been on the shop floor and in the boardroom, and he's seen how profits overtook people.
"I have two Millennial children who are smart and struggling to get ahead. The American Dream is slipping away. I'm devoting the rest of my life to this fight."
"I am passionate about making sure people my age, and every worker, can actually afford to live, not just get by."
"No one should have to choose between feeding their families and paying rent or utilities. I also believe that no one should have to work seven days a week, everyone deserves time off with their family."
"When I met Bill, his mission hit me hard. Here's a guy who ran a public company and chose to spend the rest of his life fighting for people like me. I want to do everything I can to help my generation get a fair shot."
"Being a part of a living wage is important to me, as growing inflation, harmful ideals, and vast wealth disparities are causing many people across generations to be unable to afford their necessities."
"I got involved with FFLW because it greatly troubles me that the average American cannot afford a moderate standard of living. That needs to change. FFLW is fighting for that change and I'm on board!"
"Making people aware that so many people are struggling to make ends meet and how necessary a real living wage is, is what makes FFLW such a vital organization for me."
"I support Fight for a Living Wage because everyone deserves dignity, fairness, and the ability to meet basic needs through their work. It's a fundamental step toward a more just and stable society."
Chapter 6
80 million eligible Americans didn't vote in the last election. If just 10 million of them got involved, everything could change. Here's how you can help right now.
It takes 30 seconds. Join 30,048 Americans who have already pledged to fight for a living wage. Then explore other ways to help below.
Take the PledgeFund the signature drive and the January launch of the accountability program.
See how you can help: outreach, social media, events, research, and more.
See Opportunities"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead