Orange County Living Wage is pleased to announce that Golden Fig Books has been certified as a living wage employer.

Independently owned by David Bradley, the book shop opened this fall in Carrboro’s Carr Mill Mall.

Seven days a week, the team offers a mix of new, used, and children’s books. Patrons can bring in their used books to possibly receive cash or store credit.

Learn more at goldenfigbooks.com. 

David is pictured at center with Olivia LaMarca and Sarah Yarborough. Read on for David’s thoughts on the importance of paying a living wage.

Why have you decided to pay a living wage? 

Golden Fig Books pays a living wage because we believe it’s fundamental that any workplace be able to provide for its employees. I’ve always wanted Golden Fig to have a positive effect on our community and, to me, that starts with our staff. As we continue to grow, I’m hopeful that we can make bookselling a viable long-term career option and, in order to do that, we have to start by guaranteeing a liveable wage for everybody involved.

What does the living wage mean to you? 

I view a living wage as an excellent starting point for a sustainable business. The federal minimum wage has lagged so far behind inflation, worker productivity, and the cost of living that it is basically meaningless to today’s economic environment. By starting our employees at a living wage, we hope this allows them to lead full lives and take pride in their work without the constant stress that comes with being chronically underpaid.

How do living wages benefit your employees, your business, and the broader community?

This is one of the occasions where the saying “a rising tide lifts all boats” truly does apply. Living wages have the direct benefit of putting more money in the hands of our employees and demonstrating that we value the incredible work they do at the store. But, from a broader perspective, it also has the benefit of uplifting and improving our local community. If everyone were guaranteed a living wage, there would simply be more money spread throughout the community, leading to innumerable benefits such as increased tax revenue for local government projects, more worker freedom (both in terms of time and opportunities), and more disposable income that can be put back into the community’s locally owned businesses in a virtuous cycle. Every organization that commits to paying living wages brings us one small step closer to that vision.

 

BY ANDREA CASH

When St. Thomas More Catholic Parish of Chapel Hill became certified by Orange County Living Wage in July, there was much rejoicing, as a long-term goal had been reached. Behind the scenes, the process had been underway for more than five years.

The effort began with advocacy from the outreach committee of about 16 people, which is centered around the idea of treating others fairly. The committee works on initiatives like blood drives, weekly food drives, collecting and donating clothing and household items for community members in need, and the CROP Hunger Walk.

Susan Romaine, a founder at OCLW, is also a parishioner at St. Thomas More. She presented to the committee about OCLW’s mission years ago. Outreach committee member Carol Prokop was particularly moved. “It didn’t occur to me that some people at the church may not be getting paid living wages,” she says. “It’s an issue that is very important to me. And now and then, I would check back with the parish leaders to see how things were going – and then report back to the committee.”

“It’s just the way the work of the church happens and the way we function,” says Carlos Lima, St. Thomas More’s director of operations and finance. “People bring in concerns and initiatives, and we respond in the best way we can.”

Walking the Walk

Prokop says becoming living wage certified sets an example as followers of Christ.

“As a church, we need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk,” she says. “If we are telling people that we need to be compassionate and empathetic and support fairness and justice  … we must support people’s basic rights. People need a fair wage for their work in order to get those basic rights met.”

Lima says the parish could have been certified a couple of years ago, except the wages of some part-time workers weren’t where they needed to be. OCLW’S living wage for 2022 is $15.85 per hour, or $14.35 per hour if the employer pays at least half the cost of health insurance. The church’s leaders took a strategic approach to ensure that they could support this goal in the long term. But they informed parishioners – about 2,800 families representing about 8,000 individuals – that this was something they were working toward.

“Even before we started the offertory appeal, we let folks know that this is a goal we have. We shared that we weren’t there yet and explained why,” says the Rev. Scott E. McCue.

In October 2021, living wages were announced as a key component of the parish’s annual increased offertory appeal; parishioners are annually asked to think strategically about their financial gifts to the parish. In short, leaders made the case that as the cost of living increases, so, too, must wages. Would parishioners help fund the wage increase?

McCue recalls that parishioners immediately understood that “the reason we are able to be successful in our mission – to Pray, Serve, and Spread the Gospel with Joy – is because we have the employees we have who do the work that they do.”

Parishioners met the moment by increasing their financial gifts between the fall of 2021 and July 1, 2022, making it possible for wages to be lifted and the living wage goal to be met. The parish has 28 employees. On average, wages were increased by $2 per hour – signifying an annual wage increase of $126,760. The parish’s work force falls into four main categories: pastoral staff (including two priests, a deacon, and a lay minister)); faith development staff focusing on the education of adults, children and youth; administrative staff, including an office manager and support staff; and the maintenance department. On average, staffers have been with the parish for eight years.

“I think the staff was very much appreciative that we were looking at this in a very intentional way to make sure that we were keeping up with the cost of living and being mindful of the needs that they have and the responsibilities they have,” McCue says. “The fact that we took on the initiative to be certified I think says something given our presence in and impact on the community. … For us as faith leaders, we speak often about that need to look out for those who are most in need in our midst. … Part of this has to be to make sure we are looking out for those who are entrusted in our care.”

Lima says the certification is an example of putting “your resources where your message is, where your heart is.”

“It’s important that people know that this is faith-based initiative,” says Pastoral Associate Mary Ellen McGuire. “This all stems from Jesus Christ, who was a model of justice for us – and fairness and compassion. That’s what drove this.”

‘The Right Thing to Do’

McGuire adds that she is hopeful that parishioners who either own businesses or have the ability to influence their workplace will spread the word about OCLW, leading to more wage increases in the county.

“People feel it’s important and feel gratified that the money they put in the coffers is going toward this,” she says. “People work hard, and the staff is extremely grateful. There is rejoicing, and the sentiment is that it’s the right thing to do.”

All photography – with the exception of the collage of staff photos at the end of the article – by Tom Simon. 

 

BY ROXANA BOYD | PHOTOS BY TOM SIMON

Now in its 10th year, the Morningside School has officially joined Orange County Living Wage’s roster, raising the number of child care organizations on the list to 15. Sadie Bauer (pictured above) started the preschool as a four-day program in 2012 with six children enrolled, adding extra space to her home in Carrboro to accommodate the school. Today, the school enrolls 12 children each academic year for a five-day program and has expanded further with a summer camp.

Sadie heard about Orange County Living Wage and its certification process by word of mouth. She already paid her co-teacher and assistant teacher a living wage but decided to become certified after she saw a sticker in the window of a local ophthalmologist office. 

“I just thought it would be a cool way to help further the knowledge about it,” says Sadie. “There must be lots of other people in a similar situation that maybe just need one more push or one more sign to encourage them to be aware of it.” 

The certification stickers around town also stand out to Zuzana Love, whose 4-year-old son attends The Morningside School. 

“I’ve loved living in Carrboro and Chapel Hill and seeing the living wage sticker around the businesses,” she says. “Orange County Living Wage’s work makes it more visible by highlighting the businesses that do pay a living wage.”

Sadie wants the people she works with “to be able to afford the food that works for their body, a comfortable place to live and the health care they need.” She believes a living wage reflects the humanity of the people doing the work and wants her employees to feel respected, worthy, and valued.  

‘A Magical Place’
Sadie founded The Morningside School with a focus on emergent curriculum and nature- and inquiry-based learning. This unique philosophy continues to draw her to the work today. One of the ways she and her staff kick off the school year is by diving into what their students are curious to learn.

“We work emergently with them as they become interested in bugs or friendship or animals – one year it was coffee machines,” Sadie says with a laugh. 

The teachers develop prompts, questions, and queries around the children’s interest, sparking them to learn more. Then, they add in the important skills they want to teach – communication, pre-literacy, pre-math, social skills, and the ability to cooperate and think creatively. 

“It’s unique in that the kids really have a lot of ownership over their own experience and their own education, and that in and of itself leads them to be more invested and more engaged,” says Sadie.

She hopes their experience at The Morningside School will lead them to be problem solvers and to understand that learning can be fun and interesting.

The school’s nature-based learning has grown over the years, particularly during the pandemic. Sadie says the children not only spend time outside but also learn how nature affects wildlife and our own experiences – our moods and our choices of activities.

“It’s a magical place,” says Zuzana. Her son was unsure about school at first after being at home for two years during the pandemic, but that hesitancy disappeared after just two days at The Morningside School. 

“I think that speaks volumes about how much he loves it,” she says. “He just blossomed into this social and curious and imaginative guy.”

Her favorite aspect of the school is the way the teachers nourish the students’ imaginations. She also notes that children are taught how to make decisions and to consider how they affect other people. 

“The teachers are just the kindest, most patient, sweetest human beings,” says Zuzana.

To learn more about The Morningside School, head to its website.