Media clips
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Now, nearing the completion of those second terms, the merits and problems of these two philosophies of governance can be tallied more definitively. And a new report from the Economic Policy Institute does just that. (Whole story)
The American Prospect May 18, 2018 -
Several studies have attempted to quantify just how much drivers earn and whether or not Uber, by choosing to classify its workers as contractors, is evading wage laws. A new report from the Economic Policy Institute shows that accounting for Uber commissions and fees, vehicle expenses, and a “modest” benefits package, drivers overall earn $9.21 per hour. That figure is below the minimum wage in 13 of the metropolitan areas where Uber is available, according to the report. Of course, since Uber drivers are contractors, not employees, minimum wage rules don’t apply to them. “While we appreciate EPI’s contribution to this important topic of research, the paper makes several questionable claims and assumptions while altogether ignoring the flexibility drivers tell us they value and cannot find in traditional jobs,” an Uber spokesperson wrote via email, highlighting in particular the report’s use of an average national wage, which may be lower than actual earnings for city drivers.
Fast Company May 17, 2018 -
Uber driver pay is no better than the minimum wage in many US states, according to a new study. The Economic Policy Institute found Uber drivers earn $10.87 an hour after Uber’s commissions, and additional contributions, putting them in the lowest fifth of US earners.
Business Insider May 17, 2018 -
A new report says the average income of Uber drivers is lower than the minimum wage in many cities, but the ride-hailing giant disputes the findings. The latest figures come from the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit pro-labor think tank. On Tuesday, it released a report claiming drivers earn $11.77 an hour after commission and expenses and $10.87 an hour once Medicare and social security are accounted for. The W-2 equivalent hourly wage after taking home basic benefits is just $9.21. (whole story)
The Daily Dot May 17, 2018 -
Teachers do enjoy more attractive benefit packages than other professionals, a study by the progressive-leaning think tank Economic Policy Institute found. But the EPI analysis also concluded that teachers are still paid less than what workers with similar skills and education levels make even when factoring in benefits. Public school teachers’ compensation (wages and benefits) were 11% lower than that of comparable workers in 2015, the EPI found. The wage gap increases to 17% when just comparing wages.
USA Today May 17, 2018 -
- Job prospects for college graduates are finally seeing an uptick, after 10 years of unfavorable employment conditions following the 2007 recession, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) reports. But in gathering demographic data on young adults ages 21 to 24, EPI found that the economy still has a long way to go to reach the “high-pressure” economy of the late 1990s and 2000.
For young graduates, the unemployment rate hovers around 5.3%, more than a percentage point higher than the general unemployment rate. But the real issue for young graduates is the underemployment rate, currently at 11.1% — higher than it was in 2007 and “much higher” than it was in 2000, EPI reports. (whole story)
HR Drive May 17, 2018 -
A recent report by David Cooper of the Economic Policy Institute examines the comparative statistics on the two states. Besides job growth, on almost every measure, including the growth in wages and household income, reducing the wage gap between men and women, reducing poverty, expanding health insurance coverage, and economic growth, Minnesota outperforms Wisconsin. Cooper’s comparisons join previous ones (here, here, and here) but offer much more detail. … The Economic Policy Institute makes a compelling case that on practically all fronts Wisconsin has underperformed Minnesota over the past seven or eight years. The challenge is to make the next leap—to conclude that the cause is Governor Dayton’s more liberal policies. To his credit, Cooper acknowledges this limitation: “Precisely analyzing the causal impact of a particular policy requires sophisticated statistical methods … This report does not provide that level of causal analysis.”
Urban Milwaukee May 17, 2018 -
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Minnesota’s Mark Dayton have pursued diametrically opposed labor policies since they took office in 2011—and the result, says a study released by the Economic Policy Institute May 8, it that “by virtually every metric, Minnesota’s economy has performed far better for working families.” The study found that the number of overall jobs had increased by 11% in Minnesota and 7.9% in Wisconsin, with most of the gains in the private sector, and that wages rose more in Minnesota at every level, especially for the bottom 20% of workers. The inflation-adjusted median wage for men in Wisconsin actually fell by 0.9% between 2010 and 2017, the EPI found, and Wisconsin also suffered “the largest decline in union membership of any state in that period.” The Walker administration’s agenda has been “centered on cutting taxes for the rich, shrinking government, and weakening unions,” EPI Senior Economic Analyst David Cooper said in a statement. “In contrast, Minnesota has enacted a slate of progressive priorities like raising the minimum wage, strengthening labor standards, and boosting public investments in infrastructure and education, financed through progressive taxes. The results could not be more clear.”
Labor Press May 17, 2018 -
The latest contribution to the debate comes from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a pro-labor think tank. On May 15, EPI released a reportfinding Uber drivers earn $11.77 an hour after Uber’s commission and expenses, and $10.87 an hour adjusted for the extra contributions that independent contractors make toward Medicare and social security. That puts Uber drivers solidly in the lowest fifth of American earners. “It’s more low wage than I thought, to tell you the truth,” said Lawrence Mishel, a labor economist and former EPI president who authored the report. “My sense is that taxi driving used to be an occupation that provided a very modest middle class income, and that just doesn’t seem to be the case any more.” (EPI cited throughout)
Quartz May 16, 2018 -
Maybe driving for Uber isn’t so profitable. For the drivers, at least. When accounting for the ride-sharing company’s commissions and fees, vehicle expenses and a modest health insurance package, Uber drivers end up earning just $9.21 in hourly wages, according to a new study from the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning nonprofit think tank based in Washington, D.C. A fellow at the EPI, Lawrence Mishel, analyzed data from a research paper on gender equity among Uber drivers, to calculate how much Uber drivers earn from passengers, versus how much money goes to Uber in the form of commissions. (whole story)
Market Watch May 16, 2018