January 15, 2026
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As calls grow louder to raise wages across New York City, Greg and Michelle unpack the landscape of overlapping efforts, from #JustPay to Living Wage for All NY, and the push for fair pay for home care, childcare, and other essential workers. Michelle shares what it takes to lead a coalition through these moments: coordinating across movements, resisting fragmentation, and making sure everyone is rowing in the same direction toward a true cost-of-living wage.
The conversation dives into the complexities behind the headlines, including wage compression, subminimum wages for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and youth, and the real consequences of benefits cliffs that can make raises feel risky for families. Throughout, Michelle emphasizes that progress doesn’t require perfection, but it does require collective movement.
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