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per week or be engaged in “activities” leading to employment. Nine months of education and training was not one of the allowed “activities”. Rose tried to juggle a 32 hour job with 40 hours of school, homework and parenting but car problems and sick children put her too far behind, and she has since put off going to school. |
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Multiple challenges face lowwage workers and low-income families in America’s new economy. Many of these challenges are the result of policies and programs purported to be in their benefit. Rather than identifying far-sighted strategies that build a future of good jobs, successful industries and strong communities, federal policy has reverted to a “work- first” approach that pushes people in search of skills and job training into jobs at any cost. Instead of gaining the skills they need to join the new economy, job seekers are too often being left behind. Community organizations, not content with this situation, are organizing—often with unions, congregations, businesses, local governments, foundations and other allies—to make sure that the new economy will still be in reach of needy families and low-wage workers. Together, this body of substantial and growing work has the potential of bringing thousands of low income people into high road partnerships and opportunities. Work First Doesn’t Work! Studies show that while many former welfare recipients left welfare due to work or increased earnings, they often do not remain employed.1 As part of its “Assessing the New Federalism” project, The Urban Institute found that 69 percent of former welfare recipients left welfare because they found jobs, although as many as 30 percent returned to the rolls.2 However, a review of state studies on employment outcomes reported that those who have left welfare are not earning enough to raise their income above the poverty level. In 1997, the poverty threshold for a three-person family with two dependent children was $12,932, the equivalent of Continued |