The Living Wage Movement is a grassroots effort to ensure that all workers are paid a fair wage that is sufficient to meet their basic needs. It seeks to ensure that workers are able to support themselves and their families without relying on public assistance. The movement is composed of organizations, activists, and individuals
A living wage is the minimum income required for a worker to meet their basic needs. This is not the same as a subsistence wage, which refers to a biological minimum, or a solidarity wage, which refers to a minimum wage tracking labor productivity. Needs include food, housing, and other essentials such as clothing. The goal of a living wage is to allow a worker to afford a basic but decent standard of living through employment without government subsidies. Due to the flexible nature of the term "needs", there is not one universally accepted measure of what a living wage is and as such it varies by location and household type. A related concept is that of a family wage – one sufficient to not only support oneself, but also to raise a family.