PHOENIX, Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fight For A Living Wage (FFLW), a nonpartisan grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit, today announced that its Pledge for a Living Wage and Human Dignity has surpassed 30,000 signatures, marking a significant milestone in its nationwide campaign to promote fair wages and economic dignity. The pledge calls for every full-time job to provide sufficient wages to cover food, shelter, healthcare, childcare and education, while allowing workers to build savings. FFLW has set 50,000 signatures as its next milestone, with the long-term goal of growing the pledge to millions of signatories over the next few years.
The milestone moves FFLW toward the second phase of its five-year strategic plan. In February 2027, the organization will send the same pledge to all 535 voting members of Congress, 435 in the House and 100 in the Senate, and publish every pledge and every refusal in a public database any constituent can search.
Pledge for a Living Wage and Human Dignity
The pledge is a free public commitment. Its text reads:
“Recognizing the inherent dignity of every individual, we pledge to uphold the principle of a living wage as essential for the well-being and flourishing of all Americans.”
For the full text, visit fflw.org.
Signing takes about 30 seconds at fflw.org. FFLW counts every signer as a constituent, one more person a member of Congress has to answer to. The organization says the pledge builds something earlier wage campaigns lacked: a named national constituency that someone can count.
FFLW Highlights the Federal Minimum Wage and Rising Cost of Living
FFLW argues that America faces an affordability crisis, and the stalled minimum wage is its clearest symptom. The federal minimum wage has sat at $7.25 an hour since 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A worker earning it full-time, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, grosses $15,080 a year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets the 2026 poverty guideline for a single person in the 48 contiguous states at $15,960. That puts a full-time federal minimum wage worker $880 below the poverty line.
FFLW also rejects $15 an hour as a finish line. The organization says $15 still falls short of a basic budget in major metro areas, and it estimates a living wage now runs $24 to $26 an hour, with no more than 30 percent of income going to housing. Housing shows the gap. The median home now costs about five times the median household income, up from about three times in the 1980s, based on National Association of Realtors and U.S. Census Bureau data. FFLW says Gen Z and millennial workers carry the heaviest share of that squeeze.
How FFLW plans to win a federal living wage by 2030
FFLW runs a two-prong strategy built on one pledge asked in two directions:
Prong one: Americans sign the pledge. The goal is millions of signatures.
Prong two: Congress answers it. The Elected Official Accountability Program (EOAP) launches in February 2027 and asks every voting member of Congress to sign the same pledge. FFLW publishes the responses and the silences.
The timeline FFLW has published:
- Today: more than 30,000 Americans have signed.
- February 2027: EOAP launches, the pledge goes to all 535 members of Congress, and the public record opens.
- 2027 to 2029: the signature drive scales toward millions while FFLW keeps the accountability record current.
- 2030: FFLW’s target is for the 121st Congress to enact legislation guaranteeing every full-time working American a living wage.
FFLW calls EOAP community education. The program does no lobbying, makes no endorsements and runs no campaigns for or against candidates. FFLW asks the question in public, publishes the answer, and leaves the judgment to voters and community institutions.
Bill Meade’s Professional Background
Bill Meade founded FFLW and serves as its executive director. He started out as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and rose to CEO of a New York Stock Exchange-listed company with 7,000 employees.
“I have two Millennial children who are smart and struggling to get ahead,” said Meade. “The American Dream is slipping away. I’m devoting the rest of my life to this fight.”
An all-volunteer team runs FFLW.
How to Take Part
Anyone can sign the pledge, volunteer for outreach, social media, events or research, or donate at fflw.org. FFLW directs donations to the signature drive and the February 2027 EOAP launch. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 99-1097858), FFLW accepts tax-deductible donations. Its research library at fflw.org/blog and its data hub at fflw.org/stats document the affordability numbers behind the campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fight For A Living Wage (FFLW)?
Fight For A Living Wage (FFLW) is a nonpartisan, grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Its mission is to make sure every American who works full-time can afford food, shelter, healthcare, childcare, education and the ability to save.
How many people have signed the FFLW living wage pledge?
More than 30,000 Americans had signed the Pledge for a Living Wage and Human Dignity as of October 26, 2026. FFLW’s next milestone is 50,000 signatures.
What is the Elected Official Accountability Program (EOAP)?
EOAP is FFLW’s program to send its living wage pledge to all 535 voting members of Congress, starting in February 2027, and publish every response in a searchable public database. FFLW believes in full accountability and transparency. If elected officials believe affordability is an issue, then they should take the pledge.
Is Fflw Affiliated With a Political Party?
No. FFLW is nonpartisan. It does not lobby, endorse candidates or campaign against them.
What Does Fflw Consider a Living Wage?
FFLW defines a living wage as pay that covers food, shelter, healthcare, childcare, education and savings, with no more than 30 percent of income spent on housing. The organization estimates that figure to now be $24 to $26 per hour. The Living Wage Institute provides current living wages by zip code.
How Does the Federal Minimum Wage Compare With the Poverty Line?
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour pays $15,080 a year for full-time work and has not been increased since 2009. The 2026 HHS poverty guideline for one person is $15,960, a gap of $880. If you work full-time at the federal minimum wage, you live below the poverty line.
When Does Fflw Want a Federal Living Wage in Place?
FFLW’s five-year strategic plan targets 2030, with the 121st Congress enacting living wage legislation.
Are Donations to Fflw Tax-Deductible?
FFLW is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 99-1097858, and lists donations as tax-deductible.
About Fight For A Living Wage
Fight For A Living Wage (FFLW) is a nonpartisan, grassroots 501(c)(3) movement working to ensure every American who works full-time can afford the basics: food, shelter, healthcare, childcare, education and the ability to save. FFLW advocates for living wage policy, educates the public on affordability, builds grassroots networks and tracks elected officials on their commitment to a living wage. Learn more and take the pledge at www.fflw.org.
Contact
Joseph Lambert
Fight For A Living Wage
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a516a2ea-9a0d-410f-81bd-474a5e8362fb
