EPI in the news

• Gig companies pledge to help end hunger in the U.S. Some of their workers can’t afford the food they deliver.

  There is evidence that gig workers are more likely than other service-sector workers to experience hunger firsthand. In spring 2020, nearly one in five (19%) gig workers went hungry, compared to 14% of other service-sector workers, according to a national study by the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. Twice the rate of gig workers (30%) as W-2 employees in the service sector (15%) relied on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — the public benefit once known as food stamps — within a month of the survey, according to the study. (W-2 refers to the tax form employees use to report their income.)

  MarketWatch | November 10, 2022
• What’s next for John Fetterman?

  “In terms of things that would lower prices on store shelves, it’s pretty tough to act that quickly,” Josh Bivens, research director of the liberal think tank Economic Policy Institute, told the Inquirer. This sentiment was echoed by Alex Arnon, the associate director of policy analysis at the Penn Wharton Budget Model, who told the Inquirer, “Other than maybe very targeted tax increases, which I think there’s very little appetite for, there’s not a lot that Congress can do at this point.”

  The Week | November 10, 2022
• Voters approve higher minimum wage in Nebraska and Washington, D.C. Votes still being tallied in Nevada

  Votes for the Minimum Wage Amendment in Nevada are still being tallied. But if it is approved, the minimum wage would rise to $12 per hour by 2024, up from $9.50 or $10.50 per hour, depending on health insurance benefits. Ben Zipperer, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said these results align with past state and local efforts, noting that raising the minimum wage is “an extremely popular policy initiative.”

  CNBC | November 10, 2022
• CNN This Morning Weekend

  Features Heidi discussing the latest jobs report.

  CNN | November 10, 2022
• Bernie Sanders warns ‘future of this country’ at stake in final campaign blitz before midterms

  While the nation’s electorate ranks the state of the economy as a major concern heading into Election Day, the message from Senator Sanders – primed on wealth inequality, women’s rights and the climate crisis – has framed inflation as a consequence of corporate greed. An analysis from the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute found that fatter profit margins have accounted for roughly 54 per cent of inflation.

  The Independent (via Yahoo! News) | November 10, 2022
• I Bought a House Five Months Ago. I Already Deeply Regret It.

  You’re absolutely right. It’s unfair that schools expect teachers to buy the supplies to do their job when other employers would cover these costs. Moreover, because of inequitable school funding, the teachers with the lowest salaries are the most likely to need to pay for supplies. An Economic Policy Institute survey found that teachers spend an average of $459 out-of-pocket on classroom supplies.

  Slate | November 10, 2022
• Herman Daly: A Economist Who Future Economists — and Societies — Will Dare Not Ignore

  A point of reference: Last year, the Economic Policy Institute reports, American corporate CEOs averaged 399 times the pay of our nation’s typical workers.

  Counter Punch | November 10, 2022

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