Since 2000, most full-time wage and salary workers in San Jose have seen a drop in their earnings, according to the newly released National Equity Atlas. From the period of 2000-2012, the bottom 80% of full-time workers saw their earned income stagnate or fall. The low-wage workers suffered the largest drop, with earnings for the bottom 20% of full-time workers falling by 11% or more. Only the top 10% of wage earners made any gains.
What does this mean for wage earners who are trying to sustain their families in Silicon Valley? It is quite simple: they can’t. As the income inequality gap continues to widen, those who work as janitors, security guards, waiters, and hotel staff, are being left behind. The people who work tirelessly to support the booming tech companies are not being paid enough to live with dignity.
Moreover, there is a huge deficit in middle-wage, family supporting job growth. The Economic Prosperity Strategy for the Bay Area shows that under business-as-usual projections for the next decade, only 23% of job openings in the Bay Area will be middle-wage.
There is a desperate need to grow the middle class before it disappears completely. An increase in the number of low-paying jobs or even a slight pay raise in those jobs, will not solve the issue. The workers in San Jose need living wages, which will help expand the middle class and bring further economic stability to our families, our region and our nation.
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