On Jan. 8, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools officially joined the living-wage movement. The school system is now providing raises to 72 of its employees, ensuring that all of its employees are paid at least $12.75 per hour, or $11.25 per hour with health benefits.
This editorial board applauds this bold step that the school system is taking towards ensuring that its workers can live in this community and can survive above the poverty line. Their leadership has taken this priority seriously; furthermore, they have decided this while under tight budget constraints.
The addition of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools to the living-wage movement marks a visible milestone among activists, not only because of its size — it is now the largest organization to be certified by the Orange County Living Wage Project — but also because it achieved its success through protests. In late October, school workers joined forces with the living-wage movement to demonstrate in protest outside of the school board offices. The protestors vocal demands for fair pay pushed the board to prioritize the living-wage raises in their budget.
We appreciate the laudable steps that Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are taking in the face of significant budget pressure, but we must accept that the responsibility to make Chapel Hill livable does not only lie with those that govern these kinds of systems.
Despite CHCCS and nearly 50 other businesses now paying living wages, many other Orange County organizations simply cannot afford to not pay their employees a living wage.
There is real potential for change in Chapel Hill, and responsibility for that change lies with local consumers — it lies with us.
