Members of the Greenwich Village community are coming together to advocate for better working conditions through the 'It Takes the Village' campaign. The goal of the campaign, which includes several churches, community groups and labor unions, is urging area retailers to improve wages and benefits for their workers. These types of neighborhood campaigns are becoming increasingly popular as community members can use their collective buying power to influence business owners.
See "Customers Take Up the Cause of Higher Pay at Some Stores", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, October 17, 2004