Swarthmore Living Wage and Democracy Campaign records
Scope and Contents
Kae Kalwaic, a staff member in the Education Department at Swarthmore from 1993-2017, was a participant in the Swarthmore Living Wage & Democracy Campaign efforts. She assiduously documented the progress of the campaign on her website (https://psalmboxkey.com/) and in nine 3-inch scrapbooks which she donated to the College Archives in 2017.
These scrapbooks include SLW&DC reports, correspondence between SLW&DC and the administration, publications, flyers, and other records of SLW&DC records. The bulk of the collection dates from the 2000-2004 period of the major campaign, but there are also materials about labor history at Swarthmore before the campaign began, and updates on labor-related issues after the main campaign ended.
Dates
- Creation: 1970 - 2016
Creator
- Swarthmore College. Living Wage and Democracy Campaign (Organization)
- Kalwaic, Kae (Compiler, Person)
Limitations on Accessing the Collection
This collection is available for researcher use.
Copyright and Rights Information
Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.
Biographical / Historical
When the Swarthmore Living Wage and Democracy Campaign (SLW&DC) formed in 2000, the minimum wage at the College was $6.66/hour. The group consisted primarily of students, with participation of staff and faculty. After years of research studies, negotiations, and rallies, the Board of Managers passed a proposal in 2004 that addressed some of SLW&DC’s concerns and increased the minimum wage to $10.38 tied to inflation. Other components of SLW&DC’s proposal, including a call for a childcare benefit, were not met at that time.
See also
- Aronoff, Kate. "Swarthmore students and staff campaign for a living wage, 2000-2004." Entry in Global Nonviolent Action Database. 29 October 2011. https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/swarthmore-students-and-staff-campaign-living-wage-2000-2004
- Kalwaic, Kae. "Swarthmore Living Wage and Democracy Campaign." Blog. http://psalmboxkey.wordpress.com/political-philosophy/swarthmore-college-living-wage-and-democracy-campaign.
Extent
1.67 Linear Feet (4 document boxes)
Language
English
Overview
The Swarthmore Living Wage and Democracy Campaign (SLW&DC), composed primarily of students with participation of staff and faculty, lobbiyed for a comprehensive living wage on campus and for greater transparency in the College's decision-making. SLW&DC formed in 2000 wound down in 2004 after the Board of Managers passed a proposal that met most of their demands. This collection was assembled by Kae Kalwaic, a staff member in the Education Department at Swarthmore from 1993-2017, who was active in SLW&DC.
Arrangement
The collection was preserved in the order Kae Kalwaic established, which is roughly chronological.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Kae Kalwaic, 2017.
Processing Information
The collection was removed from binders and rehoused in archival folders and boxes, but the original order and section/folder titles as established by Kae Kalwaic were preserved.
Subject
- Swarthmore College. Living Wage and Democracy Campaign (Organization)
- Author
- Hazlett Henderson and Celia Caust-Ellenbogen
- Date
- 2017 September
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Find It at the Library
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