Didn’t last long. By 1978, the Labor Law Reform Act was being debated in Congress. And while no major law ultimately clamped down on the groups, “unions came under attack — in the workplace, in the courts, and in public policy. As a result, union membership has fallen and income inequality has worsened — reaching levels not seen since the 1920s,” says the Economic Policy Institute.
Newsy
May 1, 2019
The North American Free Trade Agreement resulted in growing trade deficits with Mexico and steep U.S. job losses after it was implemented in 1994, increasing the bilateral trade gap by at least $97.2 billion and costing at least 682,900 jobs through 2010.
United Steelworkers
May 1, 2019
It’s true. According to the Economic Policy Institute, women over 65 years old are much more likely to live in poverty than men. For example, the institute reports that 17% of women between the ages of 70–79 are in poverty, while men in this age groups have a poverty rate of 11%, respectively.
Bustle
May 1, 2019
UNEMPLOYMENT | A new report indicates that joblessness is on the rise in Illinois, but state officials are arguing that the statistics are a good sign for local economies. The unemployment rate increased in 13 out of Illinois’ 14 biggest metro areas, with the Chicago area showing the only drop in unemployment. Officials noted that where unemployment increased, however, so did available jobs, as most counties created several thousand jobs in the past year. Earlier this month, the Economic Policy Institute reported that the black unemployment rate in Illinois, at 8.8%, is over twice that of the white unemployment rate, at 3.4%. Only Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia have higher black unemployment rates. [Illinois News Network; Public News Service]
Route Fifty
May 1, 2019
Yes, but: One group on the other side of that a wage increase is America’s teachers. “Teachers were paid 21.4% less in weekly wages than similar college graduates in 2018—after accounting for education, experience, and other factors known to affect earnings,” according to a new analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.
- Despite generous benefits packages teachers earn, in terms of total compensation (wages plus benefits) teachers earned 13.1% less than similar college graduates last year, EPI’s analysis found.
Axios
May 1, 2019
Javona Brownlee and Jonathan Ware have three children — ages 6 and younger, including a baby. They live in D.C., which, according to a recent study, had the highest child care costs in the country compared with the 50 states — more than $20,000 a year. Maryland was fifth-worst in the study by the Economic Policy Institute, while Virginia was 21st.
WTOP
May 1, 2019
Unscrupulous businesses stole an estimated $429 million in wages and overtime pay from Michigan workers between 2013 and 2015, impacting more than 2.8 million workers, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute. Meanwhile, Michigan taxpayers are shortchanged $107 million a year in revenue through tax fraud when businesses misclassify workers, by reporting employees as self-employed independent contractors or paying them off the books as a way to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, a Michigan State University study found. According to the U.S. Treasury, the United States loses $45.6 billion every year because of payroll fraud, which affects one in five U.S. households.
Michigan.gov
April 30, 2019
Dr. Elise Gould, a senior researcher at the Washington, D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute (EPI) said research conducted by EPI experts, scholars and researchers corroborates the United Way findings.
Black Press USA
April 30, 2019
Taking Iran’s supplies out of the equation was bound to increase prices, despite what Pompeo and President Donald Trump have said, especially given that Venezuela’s oil supply is similarly sanctioned. This increase in oil prices will have an impact on economic growth in the United States, said Robert E. Scott, senior economist and director of trade and manufacturing policy research at the Economic Policy Institute.
ThinkProgress
April 30, 2019
Proponents of the current flat tax system argue that it’s the only “fair” system of taxation because it allegedly treats everyone the same. If that were true, then Illinois wouldn’t be ranked the “eighth most unequal” state in the nation, according to the Economic Policy Institute. We are one of only eight states in the country with a flat tax system. Perhaps there’s a reason for that.
Chicago Sun Times
April 30, 2019