Tag Archives: Wages

What’s behind America’s “vibecession”?

It’s the biggest political head-scratcher of the season: President Biden has gotten a lot of questions right on traditional economic tests, but voters refuse to give him passing marks. By all conventional measures, the economy under Biden has thrived. Since Biden took office, 15 million jobs have been created. Unemployment has been below 4% for two and a half years – the longest stretch in over fifty years. Inflation … Continue reading What’s behind America’s “vibecession”? »

How to Fix Everything

Next week, members of the Patriotic Millionaires will gather in Washington, DC for our fifth annual symposium, “How to Fix Everything.” The three-day event has become the highlight of the Patriotic Millionaires’ annual calendar. Our members gather together for strategy sessions with academics, activists, and lawmakers to discuss how to transform the economy and make it work for every American, and not just a wealthy … Continue reading How to Fix Everything »

Corporations are Supercharging Inequality

We always knew that corporations and their C-suite executives were hoarding profits and driving inequality through the roof, and now our friends at Oxfam, the Institute for Policy Studies, and Americans for Tax Fairness have fresh data to prove it. This week, Oxfam published its analysis of the largest 200 public companies’ contributions to inequality in the US, aptly called the Corporate Inequality Footprint. In short, … Continue reading Corporations are Supercharging Inequality »

The Solution to Biden’s Problems? The Minimum Wage

If President Biden and the Democrats are looking for a political winner as campaign season gets underway, they should look no further than the minimum wage. We shared the good news with you last week that 22 states and 38 localities across the country officially increased their minimum wages on January 1, which will give 10 million workers a total of $7 billion in increased wages. By the end … Continue reading The Solution to Biden’s Problems? The Minimum Wage »

The Year Ahead

Happy new year! We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season and that your new year has begun with notes of hope and joy. Like everyone else, the Patriotic Millionaires are using the start of a new year to take stock of our priorities and map out the challenges – and opportunities – we anticipate in the year ahead. For this week’s Closer Look, … Continue reading The Year Ahead »

Unions are on a roll

The labor movement roared back to life this year, and everyone from factory floors to C-suite offices has taken notice. Yesterday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee conducted a hearing about the resurgence of unions in America. In his opening remarks as Chairman, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) highlighted the 450,000 union workers that have gone on strike this year for better wages, benefits, and working conditions – a … Continue reading Unions are on a roll »

The Gap Between 36% and 1,460%

The strike has begun. The United Auto Workers union has walked off the job amid their dispute with the Big Three automakers. Among their demands is a 36% pay increase across the life of their new four-year contract. At first glance, that might seem like a big jump, but in context, it’s actually a modest request for their wages to match the growth in productivity UAW workers … Continue reading The Gap Between 36% and 1,460% »

The UAW is revving up to strike

Engines are revving for the United Auto Workers union as they line up to strike against the Big Three automakers. The UAW’s current contract with the Big Three – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis – expires tomorrow, September 14, at 11:59PM ET. If the parties can’t reach an agreement on a new contract before then – and it’s looking very unlikely that they will – the 150,000 members of … Continue reading The UAW is revving up to strike »

Lights, camera, strike!

Last Friday, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) – a union representing nearly 160,000 Hollywood actors – went on strike. They joined members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) – a union representing 11,000 Hollywood writers – who have been on strike since May. This is historic. Hollywood writers and actors haven’t been on strike together since 1960, when none other than Ronald Reagan led the SAG as its … Continue reading Lights, camera, strike! »

There’s still work to do with wages

Workers in America have made some strides over the last few years, but unfortunately the road to real and lasting economic security remains long. With a debt ceiling crisis poised to potentially crash the global economy, and the Federal Reserve willing to push millions of Americans out of work to combat inflation, there’s a lot of work to be done to ensure that the gains of the last … Continue reading There’s still work to do with wages »

Give tipped workers raises, not roses, this Valentine’s Day

For most Americans, Valentine’s Day is a lighthearted holiday filled with roses, chocolates, and maybe even a few of Cupid’s arrows. But for the 12 million workers in America’s restaurant industry, February 14th is one of their busiest days of the year. If you are one of the millions of Americans going out to eat tonight, you may be interested to know how much – or, more accurately, how little – your … Continue reading Give tipped workers raises, not roses, this Valentine’s Day »

The Fight for Union Rights Is Heating Up

Just a few hours ago, the Senate sided with billionaire rail owners over rail unions in their ongoing contract dispute. After urging from President Biden, Congress passed a bill that legally forces rail unions to accept an agreement that many of them have voted against, saying it is inadequate and does not provide enough paid sick leave. This is a massive blow to the tens of thousands … Continue reading The Fight for Union Rights Is Heating Up »

Fighting Inequality at the State Level

We talk a lot about the American economy and the effect that decisions made by the federal government have on the lives and well-being of Americans all across the country. Because of that, it can be easy at times to think of the fight for economic justice as a purely national issue, something that just happens in Washington or in Congress and the White House. … Continue reading Fighting Inequality at the State Level »

13 years of $7.25 is shameful

In case you missed it, this past Sunday (July 24), the United States reached a sad anniversary. It has now been thirteen years since Congress last raised the federal minimum wage to $7.25. $7.25 was already inadequate back in 2009, but today it is downright deplorable. Here are some key facts to put Congress’s failure on this issue into perspective: A full-time minimum wage worker … Continue reading 13 years of $7.25 is shameful »

Want to keep workers around? Pay them more

In case you missed it, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its April jobs report last week. For today’s Closer Look, we’d like to highlight both the good news and the bad news from the report and offer our take as to what can be done about the bad news. The good news is that the economy continues to rebound from the pandemic. Last month, no … Continue reading Want to keep workers around? Pay them more »

Facing Inflation, Congress Must Raise the Minimum Wage

Nearly everyone is feeling the effects of inflation these days. With an 8.5% inflation rate over the last year, prices are rising in almost every sector of our economy, and millions of American families are having a harder time affording the essentials. While this is a widespread crisis, it’s one that is particularly devastating for our nation’s low-wage workers. The federal minimum wage currently sits … Continue reading Facing Inflation, Congress Must Raise the Minimum Wage »

The New Generation Labor Movement

After a four-decade-long onslaught of anti-union propaganda at the hands of mega-corporations, we are finally beginning to see a resurgence of the American labor movement. Labor unions have historically used the power of collective bargaining to demand many of the rights we now take for granted. Things like the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, workplace safety regulations, and the right to organize and negotiate with employers … Continue reading The New Generation Labor Movement »

Choose the Side Fighting for American Workers

As we approach nearly two years of a pandemic, a booming stock market, and massive profits for numerous corporations, many American workers are finding themselves falling further behind as wages continue to stagnate and inflation rises. With pressure mounting, Americans are fed up.  From Hollywood to Holler, American workers are rising up to demand better pay and better working conditions.  I hope we are witnessing … Continue reading Choose the Side Fighting for American Workers »

Striketober

This year, the incoming chill of fall is carrying more than just autumn leaves – it’s bringing with it the winds of change. Workers across America are saying enough is enough in response to stagnant wages, brutal working conditions, and mistreatment of workers in the midst of a recession, global pandemic, and skyrocketing corporate profits. Over 100,000 organized workers from across the country have authorized … Continue reading Striketober »

The Value of Labor

As we come out of Labor Day weekend, let’s talk about labor. More specifically, let’s talk about the way the law treats labor. You’ve likely heard dozens of politicians talk endlessly about how American workers are the backbone of our country, and how the value their labor creates for their communities is what makes America great. But talk is cheap. When it comes to what … Continue reading The Value of Labor »