In March of 2008, the Memphis City Council voted unanimously to expand
  and improve the living wage ordinance in three ways:

  1) Raise the wages of the City's temporary and part-time workers to at least
       $12 per hour because they do not receive benefits. Previously, these workers
       only had to be paid $10 per hour, the same as full-time workers who do
       receive benefits. The Council's actions puts the wages of the City's own workers
       much closer to the living wage standards used for the City's service contractors.

  2) Implement an annual cost of living increase into the living wage rate for contract
       workers, beginning in July 2008. Previously, the Memphis living wage ordinance
      was one of the few living wage laws in the country that was not indexed to either
      the federal poverty level of the Consumer Price Index.

  3) The Council is bringing Memphis Light, Gas, and Water's contractors into compliance
       with the living wage ordinance by amending each contract as it is renewed or initiated.
      As these contracts are renewed, janitorial, tree trimming, and trench digging workers
      will earn a living wage. MLGW will have to demonstrate to the Council that each contract
      it initiates or renews is in compliance with the city's living wage ordinance.