On Thursday, June 9, EPI President Lawrence Mishel, on behalf of the EPI Policy Center, addressed the Democratic National Convention Platform Drafting Committee about the need for a policy agenda that proactively addresses decades of wage stagnation. Mishel argued that, far from being inevitable or unavoidable, wage stagnation was the result of intentional policy decisions—and can be reversed by making different policy choices, such as raising the minimum wage, strengthening collective bargaining, and providing paid sick leave.

“There is now nearly universal recognition that wage growth for nearly all workers, both white-collar and blue-collar, has been inadequate. Unfortunately, too many people believe that wage suppression is an inevitable consequence of immutable forces such as globalization and technological change,” said Mishel. “In actuality, it is the predictable result of policies implemented over the last four decades that have eroded workers’ ability to command higher pay. The good news is that we can raise Americans’ pay with different policies that increase their economic leverage.”

Mishel’s full testimony is available on epi.org and can be watched on EPI’s YouTube page.