Because a living wage policy establishes the same wage floor for outsourced and directly-hired workers, it would undercut this threat, thereby defending the jobs of thousands of workers. Finally, it should be noted that Harvard has in the past proven that it can dramatically increase wages without laying people off. No one has been fired. Very few Harvard workers are paid less than a living wage. The definition excludes all casual and subcontracted workers, who comprise the vast majority of underpaid workers at Harvard.
Many subcontracted workers find themselves in the same position.
Some subcontracted workers do receive certain benefits, but even those who are eligible have told members of the Living Wage Campaign that they fear taking advantage of benefits for fear of losing their jobs. Indeed, we know a janitor whom a subcontracting company tried to fire for having taken vacation time guaranteed in his contract. Today, he has his job only because a professor at Harvard Law School interceded on his behalf. None of these workers is included in the figures Harvard administrators present. This fact is explained in the accompanying packet of supporting information.