The Voices Project

Millions of working American families struggle to reach the middle class

In a press release yesterday from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), their latest Bridging the Gaps project report shows that “One in Five People in Working Families Unable to Reach the Middle Class.” The press release summarizes CEPR’s new report, "Movin' On Up: Reforming America's Social Contract to Provide a Bridge to the Middle Class," as follows:

“At least 48 million Americans in working families lack the income needed to gain a toehold in the middle class, according to a new report released by the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

"Movin' On Up: Reforming America's Social Contract to Provide a Bridge to the Middle Class" synthesizes recent research by CEPR on job quality, economic security, and unionization, and outlines a set of national policy reforms that would make it possible for more struggling families to join the middle class.

"Only 1 in 4 people in working families have a good job, one that pays $17 an hour, that has an employer sponsored health plan, and offers a pension," said John Schmitt, a report co-author.

Current poverty standards do not accurately reflect the number of people in working families who do not have an income sufficient to maintain a middle class lifestyle. The report finds that nearly half of all working families falling below a middle class standard of living have incomes that put them above the official poverty line.

The authors conclude that to bring some balance back to the economy and ensure that more people share in our nation's economic prosperity, labor market standards and institutions must be strengthened, access to post-secondary education and training must be expanded, and the system of public and private healthcare benefits must be reformed.

"Tremendous increases in economic growth and workers' education levels over the last few decades should have moved millions of Americans into the middle class, but didn't because of policy choices that increased inequality," noted report co-author Shawn Fremstad. "We must update America's social contract to make sure that the economy is working for all Americans."

Interactive:

Have you read the report? What do you think fo CEPR's proposed "New Social Contract" (pages 9 - 14))? They identify:

1. "Restoring Labor Market Institutions"
2. "Providing Universal Health Insurance and Harmonizing the Publicly Financed Structures that Help Workers Make Ends Meet"; and
3. "Provide Workers with Greater Access to Postsecondary Education and Training"

as the most influential factors in helping more Americans reach the middle class. Do you agree or disagree with this conclusion? Comment now and let us know what you think!

Asking for help isn't easy either

After returning a purchase at a department store yesterday, I left the store to witness a young woman pleading for help. Apparently her car’s battery had died and she needed a jump. I, too, am a likely candidate for “Damsel in Distress” because I don’t carry such things as jumper cables, extra windshield wiper fluid, and water in my car. However, I had an air compressor. It broke, and—yes—sadly, I carry it’s useless carcass around with me. So, I could empathize with the young woman’s helplessness.

As you have intuited, I couldn’t help her and moved on (no sense in getting her hopes up because even if I had cables I’ve no idea how to use them.) But, this Damsel’s “Knight in Shining Armor” came along. Well, not exactly; however, he did have white, shining hair. The Knight valiantly sprung to action. With his wife chatting along through the process of jumping (or whatever you call it) the car, he reassured the Damsel in an exceedingly paternal way. It was rather sweet actually, for though he and his wife required the use of a handicapped parking space, he moved with renewed energy as he expertly fiddled with the Damsel’s car, successfully restarting it. The Knight advised the Damsel to keep the car running as she thanked the man loudly and profusely enough to be heard across the parking lot. All of us witnesses couldn’t help smiling at this aging Knight doffed his hat to the young woman in a most courtly way (I mean who does that anymore?), and escorted his chatty wife to her side of the car and helped her in, underscoring his chivalrous nature. The act of helping some one in need seemed to take years off them both and I was reminded an act of kindness and generosity can make a person feel. How wonderful it is to go a bit out of your way or make a sacrifice to help someone truly in need. It’s heroic, if you ask me.

Yet, everyday on the Park Street station train platform there’s usually someone asking for help in the form of spare change, and our fists tighten. We don’t even look that person in the eye hoping that avoiding their gaze will make them pass us by. I always feel a little guilty because I rarely carry any cash with me (a fact that horrifies my mother), and doubly-guilty that I can’t assist a person who humbly asked for a little spare change. It’s a terrible feeling.

The point is, the scene in the parking lot and all the days I couldn’t offer help in the form of a few coins reminded me not only of how nice it is to help someone, but how difficult it is to ask for help. A young woman stranded in a dark parking lot is a dangerous proposition nowadays. The horror that your vehicle has betrayed you and stopped working, and finding (even if you have jumper cables) you need someone to give you that jump. There were several people that passed the woman by that probably just didn’t want to get involved, even if they had jumper cables and the knowledge of how to use them. After all, it’s a risk helping someone. That means you’ve temporarily taken responsibility for a person’s well-being and it’s not a calling everyone is suited to.

But, I wonder when it was that we became no longer obligated to help people in need whether they need a jump, a little spare change, an organ donation, or whatever. We hesitate at the edge instead of taking the plunge, instead of taking the risk that maybe, just maybe, helping someone will make our day a little brighter, not to mention changing the fortunes of the people we help.

Remember, it’s hard to ask to ask for help. To have done all you can to help yourself like carry all the right equipment and spare blankets in your trunk, and realizing in life it’s not enough to just have the jumper cables. You need some one with the skills, knowledge, and experience to help you out of an impossible situation.

This is why I applaud the people that ask for help, because it isn’t easy and we often forget that until we find ourselves with a stalled car, a foreclosed home, or laid off of a job. How vulnerable these situations make us feel. Many of us may find ourselves in need of a little help at some point in our lives and I am grateful that there are people willing and able to be Knights in Shining Armor...or something like that. So, the next time someone asks for some help, take a chance and help them. Go a little out of your way, dig deep in your pocket and remember how difficult it is to ask for help, and recognize how courageous they are. I finally did, and am happy to report that I was able to give $.85 in change to a woman at Park Street station. The surprised and grateful look on her face made me feel like a hero, and I wished I had more to give.

K.B., Crittenton Women's Union
Institutional Advancement Dept.

The Working Poor Families Project

CWU just released a new report, “Unlocking the Doors to Higher Education and Training for Massachusetts’ Working Poor Families,” which describes the critical need for working poor families, especially those headed by women, to obtain some higher education and training in order to pull themselves out of poverty. 

The paper suggests three important things the state can do to support success in obtaining higher education & training:

1. Insure that working poor students don’t fall through the cracks when transitioning from K-12, to adult education, to higher education systems
2. Help working poor students succeed by helping them make good choices about what career to pursue; what school to go to; and by providing free or low-cost, child care, case management and other specialized supports for non-traditional students
3. Lower the financial barriers to education by increasing special grants (not loans) that cover tuition, fees, books and living expenses to support working poor students and by offering free tuition at community colleges.

Read the report now and tell us what you think!

Interactive: We want to hear your ideas!

How you think Massachusetts can better support you, or people you work with, to get an Associate's degree or an equivalent certificate? The more details you can share about your ideas the better!