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Barely Getting By: A Documentary on the Working Poor

Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at 2pm

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Support for WAMU's series and special on the low-wage work force was provided by Corporate Voices for Working Families and the Hitachi Foundation.

In 2004, WAMU began producing a series of short features that explored the many issues affecting low-wage workers. To date, more than a dozen such features have been produced, providing the base for a full-length radio documentary that takes an in-depth look into the subject.

Traditionally, many Americans have favored policy solutions that raise the minimum wage, expand access to health care, increase financing of child care, and address the need for more affordable housing. But such solutions only begin to address the growing concern over income equalities in the United States. As the divide between the "haves" and "have-nots" grows larger, research from the Ford Foundation has found that the public wants corporations, as well as government, to invest in the low-wage workforce. The question becomes, "how?"

This one-hour documentary explores the needs and experiences of low-wage workers in the D.C. Metro Area and is co-hosted by WAMU's Sam Litzinger and David Shipler, author of "The Working Poor". It was produced by Sidsel Overgaard.

Stories from 2004
Each story is available online in Real Audio

(August 6) Apartment Buying in DC

(September 17) Cost of Education

(October 1) Trinity University

(November 12) Working Hard, Falling Short

Stories from 2005
Each story is available online in Real Audio

(January 21) A Prescription for Cooking Class

(January 28) Low Wage Workforce

(March 18) Low Wage Workers and Healthcare

(March 18) Fear and Exploitation

(April 15) Uninsured in Montgomery

(April 15) Tax Season Volunteers

(April 29) Grandparent Caregivers

(May 13) Low Wage Workers "Good" Employers