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New study examines Alaska's middle class

by Megan Baldino
Wednesday, July 29, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A new study in progress at the Alaska Center for Public Policy is focusing on the state of working Alaska.

According to the center's director, Dr. Lawrence Weiss, the middle class in Alaska is just barely holding on.

Weiss says a family of four in Anchorage needs $53,000 a year, and that barely covers food, clothing, shelter and transportation.

"Anyone at that level is just barely hanging on with their fingernails to middle class existence in this state," he said.

The idea of the study is to get the discussion started, said Chris Tuck, a state representative and business representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Tuck says the recession is affecting Alaska, especially the lower and middle class.

"Everyone is struggling to at least maintain without losing," he said.

One big issue he says the middle class should concern themselves with is the Employee Free Choice Act. Some say it's the most significant labor-related legislation in 70 years in Congress.

"The struggles we see right now -- declining health care coverages, declining retirement benefits and everything else -- it's becoming more of burden on society," Tuck said.

In simple terms, the bill would make it easier for workers to unionize, and Tuck and others argue that creates stronger wages for the middle class.

Dr. Ellsworth James, the president of the Anchorage NAACP, says unions are good, but they need to do more to represent minorities better.

"We are the middle class, so anything that talks about the middle class we are interested in," he said. "Look at the statistics. That's where we live and breathe."

Not everyone thinks the Employee Free Choice Act is a good thing. The National Federation of Independent Business and the business lobbying giant U.S. Chamber of Commerce oppose the act.

Alaska's senators are split: Sen. Mark Begich is in favor; Sen. Lisa Murkowski is not. Rep. Don Young did not respond to an inquiry.

Contact Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com