SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY: BECOMING THE FIRST LIVING WAGE UNIVERSITY IN CANADA

Transcription

1 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY: BECOMING THE FIRST LIVING WAGE UNIVERSITY IN CANADA Michael McCarthy Flynn with foreword by Dr. Marjorie Griffin Cohen Produced by First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition with the collaboration of the SFU Living Wage Campaign November 2012 livingwagesfu.wordpress.com 1

2 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 3 Foreword 4 1 Summary Methodology 9 2. The Living Wage for Families Campaign What do we mean by a Living Wage? How is a Living Wage Calculated? Working Conditions at SFU SFU as a Direct Employer Auxiliary Employment at SFU Low Wages and Living Wages at SFU Demographics Working Conditions Effect of Low Wages on Health and Family The Impact of a Living Wage SFU: A Living Wage University? What would it mean for SFU to become a Living Wage Employer? How much will it cost? Making it happen- Committing to dialogue Conclusion 34 Appendixes 36 References 47 2

3 Acknowledgements Many people were involved in bringing this report together including: Dr. Marjorie Griffin Cohen, John Bannister of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 3338; the Graduate Student Society of SFU (GSS); Shahaa Kakar of the Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG); Karen Dean, Carina Nilsson & Connor Moffatt of the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU); Kathy Bergman of the B.C Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU). Special thanks to Hyuna Choi, Mandy Gill, Joan Zhou and Magdalena Lim who undertook the bulk of the fieldwork for this report. Most importantly thank you to all the workers at SFU who agreed to be interviewed and share their experiences with us. 3

4 Foreword by Dr. Marjorie Griffin Cohen This study of low-wage work at Simon Fraser University (SFU) was undertaken so that our University community will understand the need to adopt a Living Wage Policy. Too many people at SFU work for wages that are below what is calculated to be sufficient earnings to modestly support a small family in the Vancouver area. It is a rate that is calculated on the basis of two adults working full-time, full-year. Those of us who are directly employed by SFU as faculty and staff have decent wages and working conditions. Over the years we have collectively worked hard to have features of equality, community responsibility, and social justice form a central part of the core vision of our University. This ethical framework shapes relationships within SFU and with the wider world, and while we can all point to areas where there are still deficiencies, the intent of being aware of and responsive to social issues is an important vision for us to uphold. Poverty is one social issue that can be addressed within our community. British Columbia (B.C.), largely because of its low-wage public policy, has had the highest poverty rates and the highest child poverty rates of any province in Canada. The surprising part of this is that the majority of poor people have paid employment and about one-half of children living in poverty live in families where at least one person works full-time, full-year. SFU has people working within our institution who, because of low wages, are living at or near the poverty line. As this study shows, for some categories of workers, their average wage at SFU falls below the provincial average for this type of work. 4

5 The reason we are less aware of low-wage work at SFU than we should be is because many of these people work for SFU under a different type of employment relationship than most of us do. Many low-wage workers work for companies that receive contracts from SFU to perform certain types of work. Contracting-out employment is done because it can be more efficient than providing a service in-house. This makes sense when it is an occasional service (pest control), or a service that requires a specialized workforce (legal training), but too often what is considered efficiency is based on the contractor paying low wages. When SFU, for example, contracts out regular jobs for cleaning and food services, it needs to make sure that costs are not lower because the company pays wages that are lower than if the workers were directly hired by SFU. Not all classes of workers are treated in the same way and this too can lead to great disparity within work situations. Research assistants (RAs), for example, are usually hired directly by professors and often are paid reasonably. But as this report documents, many receive low hourly rates or work excessive hours for no additional pay. By becoming a Living Wage Employer, these kinds of practices could be targeted and eliminated. The following document will explain how becoming a Living Wage Employer could work at SFU. It also shows, through interviews with low-wage workers, just how necessary a living wage is. Many universities in the United States and the United Kingdom are Living Wage Employers. SFU could make an important difference in Canada by being the first Living Wage University in this country. 5

6 1. Summary Families who work for low wages face impossible choices buy food or heat the house, feed the children or pay the rent. The result can be spiralling debt, constant anxiety and long-term health problems. In many cases it means that the adults in the family are working long hours, often at two or three jobs, just to pay for basic necessities. They have little time to spend with their family, much less to help their children with school work or participate in community activities. With the publication of the 2008 report Working for a Living Wage the Living Wage for Families Campaign has been raising awareness about the negative impact of low wage poverty on families and communities. The campaign has also advocated that workers should be paid a living wage. Simply put, this is a wage that covers families basic living expenses. This community-based collaborative research report assesses the extent and nature of low wage poverty experienced by people working in Simon Fraser University (SFU) and explores the options open to SFU to address this issue. SFU is well placed to take a leadership role in this area. For almost 20 years SFU has been ranked by respected national surveys, including the MacLean s Annual Survey, as one of Canada s top three comprehensive Universities. In one study SFU is rated as one of Canada s top employers in terms of physical workplace, work atmosphere, financial benefits and compensation, health and family friendly benefits, time off, employee engagement, skill development, as well as community involvement (Leung & Yerema, 2011). In addition to being an excellent academic hub and an organization that has been recognized for its positive employment practices, SFU also aims to have a positive influence on the wider community in terms of its commitment to community engagement and environmental sustainability. 6

7 However these positive assessments of SFU s role do not fully take into account the experiences of an important section of the SFU community. Large universities like SFU need more than educators, administers and managers to function. They depend on cleaners, security staff, food service workers, childcare workers, as well as research assistants to make sure they can deliver high standards of education for their students. This section of the SFU community is usually hired as auxiliary contracted workers. Auxiliary contract workers are not directly employed by an organization but are contracted to provide their labour to perform a defined service through a third party contracting agency. This can often result in reduced employee benefits and more precarious working conditions. Contracting out work is usually justified as a mechanism for reducing costs. In reality it often transfers costs from the main organization to the contracted worker. This report documents and assesses the working conditions of these auxiliary workers who work in SFU. At a most basic level we seek to ascertain whether these workers are being paid enough to live on; we ask whether they re paid a living wage. Our research found that the majority of the workers we surveyed were part of the working poor. We found that: The vast majority of workers surveyed (73%) earned less than a living wage 57% of workers reported having to work extra unpaid overtime hours, in some cases up to 12 hours per week Only half of respondents reported getting any benefits as part of their employment. 39 % of respondents incurred out of pocket expenses as a result of their employment The number of working poor in B.C. has risen over the last number of years and has been a key contribution to the ongoing crisis of child poverty in B.C.: For most of last decade, our province had the highest child poverty rate in Canada. At 14.3% BC currently had the second 7

8 highest Child Poverty rate in the country. Low wages are one of the key reasons for Child Poverty in B.C. For example: 43% of the poor children in B.C. 41,300 children live in families with at least one adult working full-time, full-year (First Call, 2012). This report argues that this situation provides SFU with an opportunity to become a pioneer in addressing low wage poverty by becoming the first Living Wage University in Canada. SFU produces world-leading research and is well-respected for the quality of its teaching; adopting a Living Wage Policy at SFU is an opportunity for the University to become a leader in another way: a leader of social change. SFU teaches students how to become leaders of social change, and has openly committed to building an ethical society. By adopting a Living Wage Policy, SFU would be leading by example. It would inspire not only 8

9 students, but other Universities and organizations to change society for the better. A Living Wage Policy at SFU would demonstrate that the University not only speaks of building an ethical society and modeling best practice, but is truly committed to acting on these promises. Moreover, adopting a Living Wage Policy at SFU would fulfill many commitments outlined in the University s Strategic Vision. Specifically, the Strategic Vision promises to seek to build and sustain a work environment that is equitable, supportive, rewarding, and enjoyable and to pursue ecological, social and economic sustainability through its programs and operations. The Strategic Vision also commits to enhancing the well-being of local communities and creating solutions for public issues (SFU Strategic Vision, n.d.). A Living Wage Policy at SFU would fulfill these commitments while providing a practical and meaningful remedy for poverty; it would cause an immediate and substantial positive effect on the lives of members of the University s community. SFU has recently extended its ethical framework to include workers in the developing world by becoming a Fair Trade Campus. We call on SFU to extend this ethical framework to ensure that all workers on all three campuses receive a living wage as well. By adopting a Living Wage Policy, SFU will join 22 out of the top 25 universities in the United States (U.S.) (as ranked by U.S. News and World Report 2011), as well as 13 higher education institutions in the United Kingdom (U.K.) who have already implemented a Living Wage Policy. 1.1 Methodology This report is based on a community and action-oriented research project that involved student organizations and trade unions at SFU. The research was undertaken in collaboration with the community-based organization, the Living Wage for Families Campaign under the direction of Michael McCarthy Flynn, Campaign Organizer. The Campaign is hosted by First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition (First Call). Support in drawing up the research parameters was provided by Dr. Marjorie Griffin Cohen, Professor in the Departments of Political Science and Gender, Sexuality and Women s Studies at SFU. This research methodology has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Research Ethics on behalf of the Research Ethics Board in SFU. 9

10 The main purpose of this research is to understand the extent and the impact of low-wages on the lives of auxiliary workers at SFU. These workers included cleaning staff, catering staff, childcare workers and research assistants. Many of these workers are in trade unions, but an attempt was made to also survey non-unionized workers. The research: Documented the pay and working conditions of a variety of low wage workers on SFU s Burnaby Campus; Investigated the impact these working conditions have on workers health and family life; Asked workers to speculate about the impact being paid a living wage would have on their lives Explored the constraints and possibilities for adopting a Living Wage Policy at SFU. Secondary data was examined through a literature review and analysis of existing information on wages and working conditions at SFU and in B.C. The literature review also examined how Living Wage Policies have been implemented in educational institutions in the U.S. and the U.K. Primary research involved 33 auxiliary workers at SFU. 15 workers filled out an online questionnaire, while the remaining 18 workers were interviewed face to face using the same format as the online questionnaire. Primary research took place between January and March The interviews were undertaken by Baccalaureate Nursing Program Students from Vancouver Community College (VCC) who were on placement with First Call. The makeup of participating workers was as follows: 17 Research Assistants, 3 Cleaners, 7 Childcare Workers and 6 Food Service Workers. While this cohort is on the low side, the findings of this report provide a good snapshot of what life is like for a low wage worker in SFU. We faced many difficulties in engaging with low wage workers on campus, including the 10

11 fact that one of the unions representing low wage workers didn t have the capacity to provide us with support. It was also extremely difficult to engender the trust of low wage workers in the short time scale of this research project. Many of the workers we contacted were extremely fearful of being interviewed or even been seen with the researchers as they felt that they would face recriminations from their employer or even be fired. Collaborators on the research were: John Bannister, CUPE 3338 Mike Soron and Christina Batstone, SFU Graduate Student Society Shahaa Kakar, Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) Connor Moffatt, Carina Nilsson, Karen Dean, SFU Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) 2. The Living Wage for Families Campaign Families who work for low wages face impossible choices buy food or heat the house, feed the children or pay the rent. The result can be spiralling debt, constant anxiety and long-term health problems. In many cases it means that the adults in the family are working long hours, often at two or three jobs, just to pay for basic necessities. They have little time to spend with their family, much less to help their children with school work or participate in community activities. With the publication of the 2008 report Working for a Living Wage the Living Wage for Families Campaign has been raising awareness about the negative impact of low wage poverty on families and communities. The campaign has also advocated that workers should be paid a living wage. Simply put, this is a wage that covers families basic living expenses. 11

12 2.1 What do we mean by a Living Wage? In contrast to a provincially legislated minimum wage, a living wage is a social and economic benchmark whose primary purpose is to enable working families to pay their expenses and lift themselves out of poverty. It is calculated based on what it costs to live in a specific community, so living wage amounts vary across the province as living expenses vary. In summary a living wage is the hourly rate of pay that enables wage earners living in a household to: Feed, clothe & provide shelter for their family Promote healthy child development Participate in activities that are an ordinary part of life in the community (like being able to afford to us community facilities) Avoid the chronic stress of living in poverty 12

13 A living wage is high enough that families can weather a temporary crisis without falling into poverty, but very modest compared to community standards. So it does not include: Saving for retirement Owning a home Debt servicing Saving for children s future education In developing this calculation methodology the Living Wage for Families Campaign worked with the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), independent social policy consultants, the Victoria Social Planning Council, the United Way of the Lower Mainland, First Call, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Hospital Employees Union. The methodology was reviewed by the First Call Living Wage Roundtable, low income parents, as well as a Vancity-organized employer focus group, as part of the development of the 2008 report Working for a Living Wage. 2.2 How is a Living Wage Calculated? This hourly Living Wage rate is calculated based on the living expenses of a family of four with two children aged four and seven, with both parents working full-time (35 hours/week each). In BC 85 percent of families are headed by couples and 62 percent have two or more children (Statistics Canada, 2006c ). The model family is not meant to be representative of all working families, but it does represent the most common type of family unit in BC. Furthermore, the Living Wage is based on basic working conditions, 70 hours of work per week between two people, and already incorporates government transfers (e.g. the Canadian Child Tax Benefit) and deductions (e.g. taxes, E.I. and CPP premiums.) And while the actual Living Wage calculation is focused on two-parent families with young children, the intent is to ensure that the wage is adequate for single parents, and also that it provides an adequate income throughout one s life cycle so that young adults will not be discouraged from having children and older workers will have the means to support aging parents. 13

14 The expenses included in this Living Wage calculation include food, clothing and footwear, shelter, and transportation, based on the Market Basket Measure (MBM) 1. Additional expenses include child care, provincial Medical Services Plan (MSP) premiums, non MSPcovered health expenses, limited education amounts for parents, and a contingency amount to provide a two-week cushion in the event of job loss, illness, etc. Based on this methodology the Living Wage rate for 2012 in Metro Vancouver is $19.14 per hour. 3. Working Conditions in SFU SFU is a Canadian Public Research University with three campuses. SFU's main campus was established in 1965 and is located atop of Burnaby Mountain. Another campus is located in Downtown Vancouver and a third in Surrey. The UniverCity urban village, a community that began to be developed in early 2000 is located adjacent to the Burnaby campus. SFU is a public University; in other words, the majority of funding comes from taxpayers and the remaining from tuition fees and donations. SFU offers over 100 undergraduate and over 45 graduate programs that operate on a year-round tri-semester schedule. SFU has over 30,000 students (local/international), almost 3000 faculty and staff, and over 100,000 alumni. It also houses a sizable number of auxiliary workers who are contracted to provide services such as cleaning or food service. 3.1 SFU as a Direct Employer SFU has the reputation as one of the best employers provincially and nationally. In 2011, it was recognized as one of BC s Top 40 employers, Canada s Top 100 employers, and among the nation s Top 25 family-friendly employers (Yerema, R. & Leung, K., 2011). In an employer review undertaken by Yerema and Leung (2011), SFU claims that its financial benefits are very competitive compared with other Universities. SFU offers a benefit pension 1 An index of expenses developed by Human Resources & Social Development Canada to provide a perspective on low income 14

15 with employer contributions (up to 12.7% of salary), a defined contribution plan with employer contributions (up to 10% of salary), life and disability insurance, and retirement planning assistance. In terms of vacation and time new employees receive three weeks of paid vacation after their first year and vacation increases after ten years on the job. In terms of health and family benefits, employees who work 35 or more hours a week receive coverage and the waiting period for new employees is 90 days. Employees receive full family coverage on the health benefits plan; retiree coverage with no age limit; routine dental, restorative dental, orthodontics; eye care; traditional medicine coverage, alternative medicine coverage, massage therapy, medical equipment and supplies; homecare; employee assistance plan; and travel insurance. Family-friendly benefits include paid maternity leave, paternal leave, and parental leave for adoptive parents; health benefits during maternity and paternal leave; off-site daycare subsidy to $1,816 per child; and subsidized onsite daycare. Additional family-friendly benefits include compassionate top-up payment (Yerema & Leung, 2011). However it is important to note that some direct employees in SFU have different terms and conditions and not all of them receive all or any of the benefits listed above. 3.2 Auxiliary Employment in SFU It is difficult to conclusively identify how many low-wage, contracted or auxiliary workers are employed in SFU. However from our investigations we can estimate that they are at least a few hundred in number. Unlike those reviewed above that have been hired directly by SFU, auxiliary workers exist in a totally different employment bracket in terms of pay and conditions. In fact you could argue that they exist in a totally different world. Most of them earn low wages and have precarious working conditions. 15

16 Yet the SFU Contracting of University Services Policy states that SFU is committed to uphold the highest standards of fairness and equity in tendering of services (SFU, 2007). Similarly, The SFU Ethical Procurement Policy states that SFU is committed to engage all our communities in building a robust and ethical society and that the University is seeking to do business with organizations that manage their affairs in a manner consistent with the University s values and commitment (SFU, 2005). The institution of a Living Wage Policy at SFU would be a significant step towards the University meeting these self-identified goals. Janitors There are approximately 100 workers employed by Best Facilities who provide janitorial services to the SFU Campus in Burnaby and Surrey. These workers are represented by CUPE They are the one of the most vulnerable workers on the campus and are one of the lowest paid at SFU. The cleaners start at $13.43 per hour and the only benefit they receive is having their M.S.P paid for. They have the little job protection and have no job security (CUPE 3338, 2010). Food Service Workers There are more than 100 food service workers employed by Chartwells on the SFU campus and are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40. Chartwells have been contracted by SFU to operate a number of food service outlets such as Tim Hortons, White Spot, Mackenzie Cafeteria, Residents Dining Hall, the DAC and C-store on campus. The average wage of a Chartwells worker is approximately $15.00 per hour; health and dental coverage is provided for Chartwells employees (Unite Here Local 40, 2011). 16

17 Research Assistants According to 2011/2012 enrolment figures, there were 2195 Masters students at SFU, 1301 PhD students, and 729 Graduate Diploma and other types of graduate students attending SFU, for a total of 4225 graduate students. Research Assistants (RAs) are difficult to track because they are contracted by faculty members (often through funding from external grants) and are not considered SFU employees in the eyes of the University (SFU, 1992). However the exact nature of RA s employment status is controversial. There have been several recent Union certifications of RAs in Canada, the decisions for which resulted in determinations that RAs are, indeed, employees of their university, despite their institution s assertion to the contrary. At SFU, RAs are not unionized and there are no policies at the university standardizing RA pay or working conditions. RAs do not have access to many of SFU s employment support mechanisms including the VP Research s Office and SFU s Human Resources (HR), even though RA pay is processed through payroll at HR. A Graduate Student Society survey completed in 2011, indicates that graduate students working as RAs (both MAs and PhDs) receive an hourly compensation that ranges from well below minimum wage up to $30. This can be complicated when RAs view their wages as funding, i.e. when a graduate student s research for their dissertation is directly related to the research that they are conducting for a professor as a Research Assistant. Additionally, RAs may be encouraged to view their wages as compensation for the completion of particular projects or research milestones, rather than as wages per hour of work. This can result in uncompensated overtime or the student s average hourly rate getting dragged well below minimum wage. RAs can receive health and dental benefits if their grant holder (i.e. faculty member) agrees to pay for a portion. RAs do not receive any other benefits unless they directly negotiate for them, (GSS Survey 2011), Given all of these areas of complexity, it was beyond the scope of this research to determine exactly how many and which types of RAs fall into the low pay bracket. What is clear is that as individually contracted, non-unionized employees at the University, Research Assistants are susceptible to receiving low-pay and no benefits, as well as vulnerable to exploitation. 17

18 Childcare Workers The SFU Childcare Society presently has 60 employees and operates eleven programs out of the Childcare Centre. The center provides full and part time care to approximately 240 children, ranging from the age of three months to twelve years. These workers are represented by the BCGEU. The rate of pay for a casual worker is $14.62 per hour; for an early childhood educator, the wage begins at $17.38 per hour and can increase up to $18.25 per hour; and for a senior early childhood educator, the wage begins at $19.40 per hour and can increase up to $20.39 per hour. Some of the benefits for child care workers include paid vacation pay, extended health and dental services, life insurance, as well as coverage of parking costs necessary for regular full time staff (BCGEU, 2012). Other Retail staff (non-unionized) There are many retail units on campus that hire non-unionized food service and retail workers. These units vary in number of employees and hourly wage. Employees at Renaissance Cafe start at the minimum wage but they can progress up to $16.50 per hour. The Plum Garden Noodle house has six employees and who average $12 per hour. The owners of the Noodle House have two other stores on campus: Bamboo garden has seven employees with an average of $14 per hour; and, Donair Town has five employees and they average $12 per hour. In summary, food service workers at SFU typically start from minimum wage and can increase to up to $16 per hour 2 (See Appendix 1 for details on wages). 2 This data was ascertained from interviews with managers at the aforementioned establishments. 18

19 4. Low Wages and Living Wages at SFU As part of this research report we held detailed interviews with 33 auxiliary workers about their working conditions and how it affected their health and family life. 4.1 Demographics The majority of respondents were female (64%). This gender breakdown is consistent with other research that indicates that low wage work in B.C. is predominantly a female occupation (Townson, 2009). 72 percent of respondents were Canadian Citizens, with the rest almost equally divided between Permanent Residents and Student Visa holders. However 65 percent of respondents identified themselves as being part of a visible minority, including Indian, Korean, Iranian, Spanish, Chinese, Nigerian, Armenian, Afghan and Lebanese. This breakdown is also consistent with research that tells us that a disproportionate amount of lowwage workers are members of visible minorities (Morissette & Picot, 2005). A little over half (52%) of respondents had dependants at home. Two thirds of these dependants were children and with the other third made up of other family members- usually parents. Just under half (42%) lived with just their partner or spouse. Only six percent of respondents lived alone. Yet nearly 60 percent of respondents were the single wage earner for the family. 45 percent of respondents were aged between years, with 36 percent between years and 18 percent under 25 years. The highest number of respondents lived in Burnaby (29%) followed by Vancouver (22%), Coquitlam (22%), Surrey (12%) and New Westminster (6%). 19

20 4.2 Working Conditions The majority of respondents (57%) had been in their jobs for more than two years with fifteen percent in their positions longer than five years. 21 percent had held in their positions for less than six months less than $10 $10-$11.99 $12-$13.99 $14-$15.99 $16-$ Wage levels of those below a Living Wage (%) The vast majority of workers surveyed (73%) earned less than a living wage. A large proportion (42%) earned less than $14 per hour. This is a significant finding when coupled with the fact that the majority of respondents are the sole income earner for their families and over half of the respondents had other dependant family members. The majority of respondents work full time (60%). However 57 percent of workers reported having to work extra unpaid overtime hours, in some cases of up to twelve hours per week. A small percentage (9%) reported having to work unpaid overtime of more than twelve hours per week. Only half of respondents reported getting any benefits as part of their employment. 39 percent of respondents incurred out of pocket expenses as a result of their employment; the most notably being parking expenses at $47 per month. Some workers can end up actually losing money if the University is closed because of snow; they receive no payment if 20

21 their shift hasn t started and only four hours pay if the shift has started. In these cases the worker still has to pay for their transportation/parking costs. When we asked participants how they felt about their pay and conditions of work the vast majority of responses were extremely negative. Here is sample of what respondents said: We don t get paid enough for what we do. Taking care of children is a huge responsibility and we are not valued at all. (Childcare Worker) I feel that the pay is not adequate enough to sustain a living. I literally live pay cheque to pay cheque and budget my finances to only meet bare necessities. (Food Service Worker) I feel that as a researcher who has completed an MSc with more than 2.5 years experience, I am being paid too little. I also feel that my contract should include health benefits. (Research Assistant) The payment I receive barely covers 2/3 of my expenses. I don t know how we are supposed to live like this!!! Come on seriously I can go and work outside of the university and get paid 10 times more. (Research Assistant) 4.3 Effect of Low Wages on Health and Family When we asked respondents How do you think your working conditions affect the wellbeing of your family life? 72 percent of respondents said that their job and pay rate had a significant negative effect on them. By far the most common issue raised was chronic stress. An example of some of the responses is below: 21

22 I feel stressed all the time having to worry about rent and insurance payments, as well as my medical payments. (Research Assistant) This finding corresponds with the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, which found that parents in households with low incomes are more than twice as likely as parents in either middle-or high-income families to be chronically stressed. Not having enough money to buy household essentials and feeling that unrealistic expectations were being placed on their time are two of the primary sources of stress identified in the above research. These parents are more likely to suffer from poor health and to be more expensive users of health care services. Adolescents living with chronically stressed parents were more likely than other youth to have a tough time socially and in school (Ross & Roberts, 1999). Other respondents told us about the necessity of relying on a food bank as a reality for them: I feel like I can t provide for my family. I have to struggle to pay for food, housing, electricity and phone bills. Sometimes I have to go to the food bank for food. (Childcare Worker) While another respondent emphasized the most obvious and basic negative effect was not having enough income to live on: On numerous occasions [ ] my family was unable to pay the rent, buy groceries, pay our bills, student loans etc. (Research Assistant) Many respondents commented on the isolation they feel and the lack of any relationship they have with their families due to having to work long shifts to make up for their low wages: 22

23 I have been unable to take a summer break with my children and I have in many ways become a stranger to them. (Research Assistant) Well I don t have a family life where I live. (Food Service Worker) These experiences of SFU low-wage workers confirm that families feel a direct negative impact from their parents poor wages. Low parental income is the key reason for child poverty. In B.C., which had the highest child poverty rate in Canada for eight years, 48 percent of poor children (55,700 children) live in families with at least one adult working fulltime, full-year (First Call, 2011) The Impact of a Living Wage Finally we asked respondents to talk about what they felt being paid a living wage would mean for them. Many respondents commented that a living wage would enable them to cover their living expenses and be lifted out of poverty. At its most basic (and profound) level this is what earning a living wage achieves: It [being paid a living wage] would mean I could have more money for basics like food for my children. (Janitor) It would mean more money to spend in paying bills and rent. (Childcare Worker) It would mean I won t have to owe money to people. (Food Service Worker) 23

24 A number of respondents emphasized that they didn t feel that they had enough time to spend with their children and that earning a living wage would greatly change this. Won t have to work extra jobs to support family. (Childcare Worker) I d be able to work only one job, which means more time. (Janitor) I would have more time with my family, more time to spend in the community participating in events. (Research Assistant) When children live in poverty, or when parents are compelled to work multiple jobs to stay afloat, parents have little opportunity and time to care and support their children at this important developmental stage of their lives. Thus increasing parent s wages has a significant positive impact on childhood development. A growing body of evidence tells us that growing up in an engaged, supportive environment is a powerful lifelong determinant of a person s health and general well-being. Children from low-income families are less likely to do well at school, have lower literacy levels and are more likely as adults to suffer from job insecurity, under-employment and poor health. In fact 80 percent of the factors that effect childhood development, as identified by the Chief Public Health Officer, improve as family income increases (Chief Public Health Officer 2009). This is a significant consideration for an educational institution like SFU, because, as the above general research indicates, children of low wage workers will face more barriers to becoming students at University, due to issues related to low wage poverty. One of the most shocking responses we received related to how earning a living wage would help the respondent take care of his sick wife: Well...to begin with my wife would probably be able to finally get the surgery she needs. (Research Assistant) 24

25 The respondent went on to emphasis that his wife would need to go on short term disability for a time to recover from her operation and this wasn t possible on the respondent s current wage. The way a living wage is calculated budgets for emergencies such as this. Access to a living wage has a significant impact on health outcomes and costs. Low-income families are more vulnerable to poor health and they are more costly users of health care services, not because they use health services more frequently, but because they are sicker when they do require care. Therefore, their hospital stays are longer and may involve more costly treatment procedures. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives calculates the annual additional health care costs in B.C. due to poverty to be $1.2 billion, while the BC Health Living Alliance calculates the figure to be as high as $3.8 billion annually (CCPA, 2011). 5. SFU: A Living Wage University? In Canada there is increasing support for living wages as a way to address the issue of child and family poverty. In 2010 the City of New Westminster became the first municipality in Canada to pass a Living Wage Policy, with other municipalities across the country, including Hamilton, the City of North Vancouver and Pitt Meadows considering following suit. School District 69 in Parksville/Qualicum recently became the first School Board in the country to pass a Living Wage Policy. 25

26 Moreover, in Metro Vancouver, a growing number of leading corporate and non-profit employers have seen the benefits of paying living wages. 28 organizations in Metro Vancouver, employing over 5,000 workers and covering thousands more contracted service workers, have been certified as Living Wage Employers. These include SAP Vancouver (the world s largest inter-enterprise software company and the world s fourth-largest independent software supplier), Vancity (Canada s largest credit union, with $14.5 billion in assets, more than 417,000 members and 59 branches), the Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon Division, the United Way of the Lower Mainland and Eclipse Awards, the winner of Small Business B.C. s Best Employer in In the education sector 22 out of the top 25 universities in the U.S. (as ranked by U.S. News and World Report 2011) including all eight Ivy League schools, M.I.T., and University of California at Berkeley, have passed a Living Wage Policy. While thirteen education institutions in the U.K. have some form of a Living Wage Policy in place (See Appendix 2 and 3 for full details). Outside Canada, living wage bylaws have been implemented in many Municipalities. Since 1994, 140 municipalities in the U.S. have passed Living Wage Policies/Bylaws. These include many big cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and Miami. In fact, close to one half of the U.S. urban population now live in cities covered by some kind of municipal Living Wage Policies/Bylaws. The Greater London Authority in Britain also has a Living Wage Policy/Bylaw. The recent summer Olympics in London in 2012 were the first Living Wage Olympics, where all 135,000 workers working on the event were paid a living wage! All of these organizations have committed to paying a living wage to all of their direct staff and contracted service staff, including janitorial, security and cleaning staff. 26

27 5.1 What would it mean for SFU to become a Living Wage Employer? To be certified as a Living Wage Employer in Metro Vancouver an employer has to adhere to the following conditions: All employees (full-time, part-time and casual) must be paid the current Living Wage Rate for Metro Vancouver. This is currently $19.14 per hour. If you pay non-mandatory benefits to your employees, the Living Wage hourly rate will be reduced to take account of this. Externally contracted staff that are not direct employees, but who provide services to your organization on a regular ongoing basis, must also be paid the Living Wage. Employees paid by incentive-based pay (tips) or commission can be paid less than a Living Wage provided their total earnings (including incentive-based pay and/or commission) equal or exceed the Living Wage. 27

28 Collective Agreements Collective agreements are an integral part of labour relations for SFU. Becoming a Living Wage Employer should not interfere with this. By becoming a Living Wage Employer the University should not re-open existing collective agreements. Instead, the University would commit to the principle that in all future collective agreements all direct staff will be paid at least the Living Wage and that adequate scope for increases will be included in the agreement to cover any living wage increases over the lifetime of the agreement. Outside Contractors Being certified as a Living Wage Employer means that an employer commits to insert a legally binding living wage clause all in new and renewed contracts. This clause would stipulate that all those working on the contract (including subcontractor workers and RAs) will be paid the Living Wage. It is important that all potential contractors are properly informed of the implications of an Employer s Living Wage Employer Status and that appropriate material is included in all collective bid documents. Faculty members who hire RAs with research funding will also need to be informed about their responsibility to pay the Living Wage. Contractors should be asked to sign a declaration that they understand their responsibilities in relation to this Living Wage Clause. The University can ensure compliance by mandating that all contracts give the University authority to audit service providers and subcontractors (including pay stubs) upon a suspected breach of the policy being brought to their attention. Likewise, an office on campus, such as the VP Research or the Dean of Graduate Studies, could be empowered with the right to ensure and enforce the Living Wage for RAs. Employee Benefits The Living Wage rate can be reached by a combination of an hourly wage + non-mandatory benefits. If an employer pays non-mandatory benefits to their employees, the hourly wage it needs to reach the Living Wage rate will be reduced accordingly. Non-mandatory benefits include employer contributions such as extended health/dental care, MSP premiums, child care expenses, transport expenses, professional education development, enhanced vacation and sick leave, etc. No reduction in the wage rate would occur for payments that an employer 28

29 is mandated by law to provide such as Employment Insurance and Canada Pension Plan contributions. The Living Wage for Families Campaign has developed a software tool, in partnership with the software company SAP, to help employers calculate how their benefit package affects their ability to pay the Living Wage- see How much will it cost? This is one of the first questions any employer asks when considering becoming a Living Wage Employer. This is understandable, especially for an institution like SFU which is a public institution that receives significant funding from taxpayers, students tuition and from private donors. However, in costing a commitment to become a Living Wage Employer it is important to include the economic and social benefits that will accrue to SFU and the wider community as a result of this commitment. It should be straightforward for the University to identify how many direct employees earn less than the Living Wage and calculate the costs of bringing them up to a living wage rate. In terms of contractors, they can be simply asked if their contracting costs will increase if a Living Wage Policy is implemented. This is the approach that the City of New Westminster took in estimating the potential cost of passing their Living Wage Policy. The estimated cost of New Westminster s Living Wage Policy was 0.25 percent of the city s annual budget. Studies in the U.S. have shown that the contracting cost of Living Wage Policies are usually overestimated and end up costing closer to 0.1 percent of the overall city budget. Of course because SFU has a lot less service contracts than the average municipality, the costs for SFU would be significantly lower than these estimates. 29

30 However, becoming a Living Wage Employer also brings with it benefits. There is now a large body of research which documents the positive economic and social effects of paying a living wage. There are many obvious benefits to workers who receive a living wage, especially when it lifts them out of poverty, or for students when it helps them reduce their debt, but there are also benefits for employers. A. Decreased employee turnover; cost savings for staff hiring and training; lower absenteeism A study of employers in Los Angeles found lower rates of labour turnover, absenteeism and overtime rates and higher rates of training amongst 75 living wage contractors when compared to 210 similar non-living wage firms. Staff turnover rates at firms covered by Living Wage Policies averaged 17 percent lower than at firms that were not (Fairris & Reich, 2005). A leading study of the San Francisco Airport by researchers at the University of California found that after the airport boosted wages, turnover among contracted security screeners plummeted from 95 percent to 19 percent. The airport saved thousands of dollars per worker in new employee recruitment and training costs (Reich, Hall & Jacobs, 2005). KPMG London halved its turnover rate after it introduced a Living Wage Policy for all its inhouse and contract staff. Other benefits were seen as well: No one abused the new sick pay scheme and absenteeism is very low. We get the benefit of reduced training costs and increased staff continuity. It is a much more motivated workforce Head of Corporate Services, Guy Stallard (cited in SERTUC, n.d.: 6). B. Improved job quality, productivity and service delivery An investigation into the decision by Queen Mary University of London to bring its cleaning service in-house and become a Living Wage Employer found that it stimulated improvements in job quality, productivity and service delivery, with very little increase in costs (Wills, Kakpo & Begum, 2009). 30

31 More than 80% of employers involved in the London Living Wage Program (LLW) believed that the LLW had enhanced the quality of the work of their staff. Employees (almost 75%) also reported increases in work quality as a result of receiving the LLW (London Economics, 2009). C. Benefits the broader economy by stimulating consumer spending A 2009 Goldman Sachs report confirms that increasing the income of people with lower wages has a proportionately larger stimulating effect on the economy than increasing the income of those with high incomes. Low earners tend to spend more of their increased income than those with much higher incomes, because those on low-incomes have more essential spending needs to be met by any income increases. Higher income populations deliver only three to five cents of increased spending per additional dollar of wealth (Goldman Sachs, 2009). Vancity emphasized the positive role that living wages play in the local economy when they agreed to become a Living Wage Employer in 2011: We want to be part of a community that invests in the long-term prosperity of individuals and the economy. Paying a living wage to our employees and service providers will help make families stronger and communities healthier. Tamara Vrooman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vancity. D. Greater corporate social responsibility and organization reputation Organizations are becoming increasingly aware that a commitment to corporate responsibility is essential to their public image. Organizations are very conscious of their brand, but lofty mission statements mean little if the public becomes aware that they hide the exploitation of low paid staff. This is especially true for an organization like SFU that depends on the goodwill of donors for some of its funding and activities. Eclipse Awards, a Living Wage Employer based in Strathcona, Vancouver was named Best Small Business Employer in BC in 2012 partly because of their pioneering commitment to being a Living Wage Employer. 31

32 70 percent of employers involved in the London Living Wage Program (LLW) felt that being publicly recognized as paying a living wage had increased consumer awareness of their organization s commitment to being an ethical employer (London Economics, 2009). A statement from KPMG London on why they became a Living Wage Employer states: Research suggests that most people want to work for a company whose values are consistent with their own and that a majority of young people believe in the power of responsible business practice to improve profitability. Thus corporate responsibility is increasingly a key factor in attracting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce. Our last annual People Survey showed that almost all of our people believe KPMG is socially responsible and makes a positive contribution to the communities in which we operate. It is also important to note that many of the low wage positions identified in this report were once held in-house by SFU. Organizations like SFU who contract out these services justify the decision based on cost savings. However in reality costs don t magically disappear, they are instead transferred to another agent, in most cases onto the backs of those who can least afford them; low wage workers and their families. Moreover once services are contracted out there is rarely any extensive cost benefit evaluation of the outcomes of these measures. Negative externalities like the social costs of low wage work aren t factored into the equation. As Jim Stanford and Robert Dryden, respected economists, have pointed out: Once the costs and benefits are examined more carefully and comprehensively, it becomes clear that the ultimate cost savings from privatizing cleaning work will be much smaller than suggested merely by the cost of received bids if in fact there are truly any bottom-line savings at all. Indeed, after taking into account all of the indirect and spillover effects of outsourcing, including on public health, occupational health and safety, social assistance and EI expenses, and the impact on general community 32

33 wellbeing, it is not far-fetched to imagine that outsourcing could produce no saving or even net expenses, especially in the medium- to long-term (Dryden and Stanford 2012). 5.3 Making it Happen- Committing to Dialogue Becoming a Living Wage University is an important undertaking for SFU and we are well aware that it will not happen over night. The first step the University has to take is to honestly enter into a dialogue about this issue with members of the SFU Living Wage Campaign and other relevant stakeholders. This is the most important, but also the easiest, step to achieve. Such a dialogue process would involve the following steps: 1. Identify what facts need to be ascertained for us to be able to proceed- i.e. what a Living Wage Policy would cost (after factoring in the potential benefits as referenced above), who would be affected by the policy etc. 2. Explore the options for implementing a Living Wage Policy based on the facts- what are the options for funding the policy, what administrative infrastructure would have to be put in place. 3. Based on the above, identify a potential implementation process and time scale to be brought to SFU Board of Governors for consideration. Yet SFU doesn t have to start form scratch. The Living Wage for Families had worked with a number of employers to assist them to become Living Wage Employers and can share learning and tools to minimize the time the University has to spend on administration changes. 33

34 6. Conclusion We ll try to use our resources- physical, intellectual, and others- to try to work to create space in which the community could come together and address serious issues (Andrew Petter, SFU President, 2012) SFU produces world-leading research and is well-respected for the quality of its teaching. Adopting a Living Wage Policy at SFU is an opportunity for the University to become a leader in another way: a leader of social change. SFU teaches students how to become leaders of social change, and has openly committed to building an ethical society. By adopting a Living Wage Policy, SFU would be leading by example. It would inspire not only students, but other Universities and organizations to change society for the better. A Living Wage Policy at SFU would demonstrate that the University not only speaks of building an ethical society and modeling best practices, but is truly committed to acting on these promises. Moreover, adopting Living Wage Policy at SFU would fulfill many commitments outlined in SFU s Strategic Vision. Specifically, the Strategic Vision promises to recognize, respect, and value the essential contribution made by staff and faculty, and will seek to build and sustain a work environment that is equitable, supportive, rewarding, and enjoyable (SFU Strategic Vision, n.d.). The Strategic Vision also commits to enhancing the well-being of local communities and creating solutions for public issues. A Living Wage Policy at SFU would fulfill these commitments while providing a practical and meaningful remedy for poverty: it would cause an immediate and substantial positive effect on the lives of members of the University s community (SFU Strategic Vision, n.d.). SFU has a long and proud history of fostering dialogue on important issues in our community. In fact one of the core aims of the University is that it will become a public square to which British Columbians might look for productive dialogue on important problems of the day. Our report provides a stark picture of the experience of a sizeable part of the SFU community and their families. It clearly shows that there is a population of working poor employed at the University. We see them every day. They prepare our meals. They clean up after us. They 34

35 take care of our children. Yet we rarely think about how they and their families live when they go home. There are very few more important issues in B.C. at the moment than the issue of our continuing high rates of child and family poverty. This report clearly shows that it is time that SFU undertakes a serious dialogue about low wage work on campus, and commits to a process to become the first Living Wage University in Canada. 35

36 Appendix 1: Comparison of BC and SFU Low Wage Sectors British Columbia Simon Fraser University Janitorial Start: $14.48/hr Average: $17.27/hr 3 Start: $ 13.43/hr Average: $14.26/hr 4 Research Assistants Start:$9/hr- $30/hr 5 Food Service Workers (Non-Unionized) Start: $10.25/hr (min.wage) Average: $12.60/hr 6 Start: $10.25/hr (min.wage) Average: $12.00/hr 7 Childcare Workers Start: 14.45/hr Average: $16.46/hr 8 Start: 14.62/hr Average: $17.01/hr (British Columbia 4 From communication with CUPE SFU Food service workers wages were calculated from responses we received from managers 8 (British Columbia)

37 Appendix 2: Living Wages in UK Universities There are 13 higher education institutions that have committed to paying the London Living Wage, including: London Met University Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) London School of Economics School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Birkbeck College University of London Union School of Hygiene Institute of Education Goldsmiths College London Business School University College London University of East London Kings College London Further Education colleges are also beginning to commit to paying the London Living Wage, including: City and Islington College Norlington Boys School ARK Academy, St. Charles 6th Form College. UK Universities Living Wage Commitments LW Universities Who Effects after LW Date Birkbeck College Contract Cleaning staff employed by Ocean s Cleaners and catering staff, UCU and Unite, the other staff and student unions have signed on the campaign According to professor David Latchmen, the master of Birkbeck, they are having discussion with ULU itself about extending the living wage to the ULUcontracted staff who provide our students and staff bar services as their next step in their living wage implementation (July 2011) March March 18th 2009 (Campaign Victory) Goldsmiths College All Contract workers and own staff (includes cleaners and caterers) Senior staff have been persuaded of the financial, as well as the ethical benefits of paying their low paid staff the London living wage. As argued by Professor Jane Willis, once employers implement the living wage, they can secure improvements in productivity through enhanced worker morale, reduced turnover, and additional managerial innovation. It reduces the cost of implementation. Jan st higher education institution in south London to become a LLW employer. College has been granted the London Living Wage Award. The College is the first higher education institution in south London to become a London Living Wage employer. 37

38 Institute of Education Contracted staff Cleaners and Caterers Professor Geoff Whitty, says the Institute of Education values the contributions of all colleagues who help deliver a first rate student experience. Our externally contracted staff are a part of our community and moving to paying the living wage is one way in which we can demonstrate our recognition of their contribution. The living wage is a reflection of our institutional values and as good business sense. June 2011 Kings College London private contracting staff: September 2011 London Metropolitan University All contracted staffcleaners, caterers, and agency security staff as well as some in-house staff, such as Library staff, and casual bar staff UNISON This represents a massive victory for the union, and will ensure that London Met's most poorly paid staff will soon receive a fair, decent living wage. "The Living Wage is about dignity in the workplace. Nobody should be forced to survive in London on poverty pay. We all know London is the most expensive place to live in the UK. UNISON is determined to close the widening pay gap at London Met. This commitment to the Living Wage is an important step in that direction. As of August 1st 2011, all directly employed staff of the university will receive at least the London Living Wage. London School of Economics (LSE) All Staff Cleaners Implemented successfully across the school Professor Howard Davies, Director states that the LSE community is supportive of the living wage commitment, which we have now implemented successfully across the school. 18 month campaign Success in March 2007 Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) Cleaning Staff employed by KGB Office Cleaning Services (104 cleaners in total) UNISON The college is cleaner and staff feels rewarded and communities on and off campus fully backs the idea of LW In April 2006 agreed to become 1 st LW campus in UK School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Cleaning staff The university has a strong commitment to addressing disadvantage and reducing inequities in health worldwide. Paying the cleaning staff a LW is consistent with that commitment and they value their role in keeping their environment safe and pleasant for students and staff School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Catering and Cleaning Staff Professor Paul Webley, principal, states the School of Oriental and African Studies is above all else a community that celebrates diversity and is respectful and collegial. Paying the living wage for catering and cleaning staff is an important part of this as it ensures that lower paid workers have a better standard of living in one of Europe s most expensive cities, allowing them to care properly for their families. June 2008 University of College London Private Contracting Staff : Cleaners A spokesman for Citizens UK says that Professor Grant "has clearly heard the arguments of the campaign that a living wage is both the right thing to do, and makes good business sense". September

39 University of East London Low-wage Staff The announcement was made by Professor Patrick Mcghee, Vice Chancellor, who said that the University of East London s decision is in line with our University strategy: An outstanding workforce: professionalism, careers, flexibility. The living wage will make sure that all staff have the opportunity to play a full role in the future, in which all staff will have equal opportunities. November 2011 University of London Union Private Contracting Staff: Cleaners and Catering Staff Nizam Uddin and Mazdek Alizadeh, President and Vice President of the University of London Union say the living wage embodies the principle of fair access to education by ensuring that no child is prevented from accessing higher education because of poverty. 24 Sept 2010 University of Manchester 130 employees, including those working for contractors are paid below the 7.20 rate. The fact that the largest university in the country agreed to pay a living wage is proof that campaigning works, and that change is achievable through agitation and organisation 14Nov2011- March 2012 The living wage campaign is incredibly important, firstly for the obvious benefits it gives to college, university, and students union staff. It is also crucial in terms of our responsibility to make sure the sector remains at the forefront of ethical employment. The living wage campaign is an amazing opportunity for students to get involved in a campaign that really changes people s lives. While there are so many campaigns which change lives for the better what was so wonderful about working on the campaign in Manchester was that we could see the gains that people got right in front of us. We knew the people who were to benefit, and that made it so powerful. 39

40 Appendix 3: Living Wages in U.S. Universities According to the Living Wage Campaign at the University of Virginia, 22 out of the top 25 universities in the U.S. (as ranked by U.S. News and World Report 2011) have a living wage including all eight Ivy League schools, M.I.T., and the University of California at Berkeley ( US Universities Living Wage Commitments LW Universities Who Effects after LW Date Arizona State University Food service workers on campus ASU finalized its food service agreement with new provider, ARAMARK, who is committed to providing wages and benefits packages that are more likely to allow their workers to support their families. Fall April 2007 (Campaign Victory) DePaul University Campus dining workers employed by Chartwells Fully covered single-coverage health plan for 80 full-time workers by the end of the contract; and only $85 per month for full family coverage. Contract language that protects immigrants from employer abuse, including clauses ensuring that the employees will not be disciplined for Social Security no-match letters, that the employer will limit immigration status checks to what I-9 forms require, and that employees have a 2-year window to return to their job in the case of immigration problems. Oct 2010 Georgetown University All campus workers As soon as the spotlight faded away after the hunger strike, administrators began breaking the promises they made to workers in the policy to March 2005 In fall 2005, the Living Wage Coalition launched a second phase in their campaign, calling on Georgetown to require all contractors to pretect campus workers right to organize unions by any legal method. In August 2006, the janitors won recognition of their union and started negotiating their very first union contract, a step towards winning a real living wage and decent healthcare (including a card check neutrality agreement). Harvard University All workers on campus Fall 1998 to June 2002 and ongoing Johns Hopkins University All workers on campus Since the sit-in, SLAC meets with the administration to oversee the implementation of the living wage agreement, as well as working on a tutoring program and organizing against the use of sweatshop to produce university apparel. March

41 St. Thomas University Housekeeping and grounds maintenance crews and may be extended to subcontractors July 2007 Stanford University All maintenance, grounds keeping, housing, food services and general administrative workers Spring Swarthmore College Workers on campus Implemented in budget year Washington University in St. Louis All subcontracted service workers Membership for the University in the Workers Rights Consortium, which ensures factories producing clothing and other goods bearing college and university names respect the basic rights of workers, The formation of a joint student-university committee with SWA representation to improve University policies so they "better meet the needs of lower-paid service workers" which includes protecting freedom of association and working towards living wages and benefits for all workers who are directly and indirectly employed by the university. April 2005 Wesleyan University Janitors and other service workers Spring of 2000 In February 2012 University of Virginia students held a 13 day long hunger strike, and is currently in the process of advocating for Living Wage policies at this university. ( The following universities/colleges are also in the process of advocating for Living Wage policies:agnes Scott College (GA); American University; Brown University; Bucknell University; Cornell University; Duke University; Earlham College, IN; Fairfield (CT) University; Louisiana State University; Miami University of Ohio; Northwestern University; Oxford University; Pennsylvania State University; Princeton University; Purdue University; Rhodes College; University of Connecticut; University of Buffalo (NY); University of California, San Diego; University of California, Santa Cruz; University of Connecticut; University of Georgia; University of Illinois, Chicago; University of Iowa; University of Memphis; University of Miami; University of Minnesota; University of Northern Illinois; University of Notre Dame; University of Pittsburgh; University of Tennessee; University of Vermont; University of Virginia; Valdosta State University, GA; Virginia Common Wealth University; Washington College of Law; Western Michigan University 41

42 Appendix 4: Questionnaire Worker Questionnaire Date of Interview Interviewer Location of Interview Time of Interview Questionnaire No. ******************************* 1. What is your job? 2. What is your Employer s name (name of company)? 3. Where is your worksite on campus? 4. How long have you been doing this job? a. Less than 6 months [ ] b. 6 months to 2 years [ ] c. 2 years to 5 years [ ] d. 5 years to 10 years [ ] e. Over 10 years [ ] 5. What are your main responsibilities? 6. How many hours are you contracted to work in a week? a. Up to 10 hours [ ] b hours [ ] c hours [ ] d hours [ ] e. Over 40 hours [ ] 7. How many extra hours, in addition to your contracted hours, do you actually work in a week? a. Up to 3 hours [ ] b. 4-6 hours [ ] c. 7-9 hours [ ] d hours [ ] e. Over 12 hours [ ] f. None [ ] 42

43 8. How much do you get paid an hour? a. Less than $10hr [ ] b. $10-$11.99hr [ ] c. $12-$13.99hr [ ] d. $14-$15.99hr [ ] e. $16-$17.99hr [ ] f. $18-$18.81 hr [ ] g. Over $18.81hr [ ] If Over $18.81, please give hourly amount 9. What is the rate for overtime work? (Please specify details for different days and conditions if the rate varies e.g. on Saturdays, Sundays etc) a. No overtime rate [ ] b. Time and a half [ ] c. Double time [ ] d. Other [ ] e. None [ ] If Other please specify 10. Do you incur any costs in terms of your employment (e.g. having to pay for uniform or equipment, loss of pay due to unscheduled closure of University)? (Y/N) 11. If you are employed as a Research assistant (RA), what percentage of your paid employment is spent on your own postgraduate research work? a. None [ ] b. Less than 10% [ ] c. 10%-25% [ ] d. 26%-50% [ ] e. 50%-75% [ ] f. Over 76% [ ] g. Not Applicable [ ] 12. What benefits do you get, if any? Y/N DETAILS Sick Days/Compassionate Leave Holidays Pension Extended Health Transport Subsidy Other 13. Are you a member of a Union? (Y/N) 13.1 If yes, which one? 14. How long does it take you to get to work? 43

44 a. Less than 15 minutes [ ] b minutes [ ] c minutes [ ] d. 46 minutes 1 hour [ ] e. 1 hour 1.5 hours [ ] f. Over 1.5 hours [ ] 15. Do you work in any other paid employment? (Y/N) 15.1 If yes, what is the job? 15.2 How many hours do you work at this job? a. Up to 10 hours [ ] b hours [ ] c hours [ ] d hours [ ] e. More than 40 hours [ ] 15.3 What is the hourly rate of pay? a. Less than $10hr [ ] b. $10-$11.99hr [ ] c. $12-$13.99hr [ ] d. $14-$15.99hr [ ] e.$16-$17.99hr [ ] f. $18-$18.81 [ ] g. Over $18.81hr [ ] If Over $18.81, please give hourly amount 16. Who lives at home with you as part of your household? (Please list the number of people in each category.) a. Partner/spouse [ ] b. Children under 18 [ ] c. Other family members [ ] d. Other [ ] If Other, please explain 17. Do any of the people who live with you as part of your household work in paid employment? (Y/N) If yes please answer the following questions, if no please go to question How many household members are in paid employment? 17.2 Are any of the people in your household that are in paid employment: a. Children under 18 [ ] 44

45 b. Adults over 65 [ ] 17.3 On average, what is the hourly rate of pay for other members of your household in paid employment? a. Less than $10hr [ ] b. $10-$11.99hr [ ] c. $12-$13.99hr [ ] d. $14-$15.99hr [ ] e. $16.-$17.99hr [ ] f. $18-$18.81 [ ] g. Annual salary over $18.81 [ ] h. Don t know [ ] 17.4 If you ticked f, please indicate annual salary 17.5 On average, how many hours per week are other members of your household in paid employment? a. Up to 10 hours [ ] b hours [ ] c hours [ ] d hours [ ] e. More than 40 hours [ ] g. Don t know [ ] 18. Does your household have any other sources of income? (Y/N) 18.1 If yes, please indicate what this income is? 19. Are you or any of your family a member of a group or organization (church, sports club, community group etc.)? (Y/N) If yes, can you name them? 20. How do you feel about your pay and conditions of work? 21. How do you think your working conditions affect the wellbeing of your family life? 22. If you earned a living wage of $18.81 an hour (wage + benefits) how do you think it would affect you and your family? 23. Is there anything further you would like to tell us about your work?

46 Personal questions 24. Are you: a. Male [ ] b. Female [ ] C. Other [ ] 25. What is your age? a. Under 25 Years [ ] b Years [ ] c years [ ] d Years [ ] Years [ ] 26. What is your nationality? 27. What is your Canadian immigration status? a. Canadian Citizen [ ] b. Permanent Resident [ ] c. Temporary Foreign Worker [ ] d. Refugee [ ] e. Student Visa Holder [ ] f. Other [ ] If other please explain 28. Which city do you live in? If you want to enter our draw for $200 cash please enter your address below: 46

47 References BC Government and Service Employees Union (2012). SFU Childcare Society. Retrieved from BC Stats. (2006) Census Profile: British Columbia. Retrieved from BC Stats. (2010). Basic Income Assistance: Recipients as a Percent of Population, September Retrieved from BC Stats and Stats Canada, (2009). BC wage & salary survey: provincial estimates by occupation. Retrieved from /Earnings/WageSalarySurvey/WageSalarySurveySummaryTables.aspx CCPA, (2011), The Cost of Poverty, (2011) CCPA_BC_cost_of_poverty_full_report.pdf Chief Public Health Officer (2009) Report on the State of Public Health in Canada-Growing Up Well - Priorities for a Healthy Future Cohen, M., Klein, S., Littman, D., & Richards, T. (2011), Working for a Living Wage. CUPE 3338 (2010), Support SFU cleaners campaign to make a living wage. Retrieved from Dryden, Robert and Stanford, Jim (2012), The Unintended Consequences of Outsourcing Cleaning Work, CCPA. Fairris, D. and Reich, M. (2005) The impact of living wage policies: Introduction to the special issue. Industrial Relations, 44, First Call, (2012), Child Poverty Report Card 20Report%20Card% pdf Goldman Sachs US Global ECS Research, (2009) Are the rich all that matters for spending? October 2009, cited in GSS Survey (2011), Retrieved from Dec ed..pdf 47

48 London Economics, (2009), An independent study of the business benefits of implementing a Living Wage policy in London. Morissette, René and Picot, Garnett, (2005) Low-paid Work and Economically Vulnerable Families over the Last Two Decades Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series, Statistics Canada. Reich, M., Hall, P. and Jacobs, K.,(2005) Living wage policies at the San Francisco airport: Impacts on workers and businesses. Industrial Relations, 44, (an earlier version of this article can be found at Ross, David and Paul Roberts, (1999), Income and Child Well-Being: A New Perspective on the Poverty Debate. Ottawa: Canadian Council on Social Development. p. 4. Accessed at SERTUC, The London Living Wage: A Working Guide for Trade Unions (London: Southern and Eastern Regional Council of the TUC). SFU (1992), Employment of Personnel Funded from Research, SFU (2011), A Year of New Beginnings: Simon Fraser University- Annual Financial Report. Retrieved from SFU (2007) Policies and Procedures: Contracting of University Services SFU (2005) Policies and Procedures: Ethical Procurement Policy: SFU Strategic Vision The Engaged University (n.d.) : SFU Envision discussion paper (2011) Statistics Canada. (2006c). Census, B.C. Data. Number of Children at Home and Census Family Structure for the Census Families in Private Households of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2001 and 2006 Censuses. Townson, Monica (2009), Women s Poverty and the Recession, CCPA Unite Here Local 40 (2011). British Columbia s union for hotel and hospitality workers: respect our jobs. Retrieved from 48

49 University of Virginia Wills, Jane with Nathalie Kakpo and Rahima Begum (2009), The business case for the living wage: The story of the cleaning service at Queen Mary University of London. Queen Mary, University of London. Yerema, R. & Leung, K. (2011), Employer Review: Simon Fraser University. In eluta.ca. Retrieved from 49

50 First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition is a non-partisan, province-wide coalition of organizations and individuals committed to promoting child and youth rights and well-being. We focus on public policy, public awareness and mobilizing communities for BC s children. First Call hosts the Living Wage for Families Campaign. Web: / Phone: info@firstcallbc.org / info@livingwageforfamilies.ca The Living Wage SFU Campaign was formed in 2012 and aims to persuade SFU to become the first Living Wage University in Canada. It is composed of the following organizations: Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 3338 Graduate Student Society of SFU (GSS) The Living Wage for Families Campaign Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU) Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) B.C Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU) UNITE HERE! Local 40 Web: livingwagesfu.wordpress.com info@livingwageforfamilies.ca 50