History tells us their concern is well-founded. According to the Economic Policy Institute, between 1948 and 1973 — during the dawn of the computing age — a 97% jump in productivity was coupled with an inflation-adjusted 91% increase in average hourly wages. Workers and employers shared in the gains of technological progress.
But between 1973 and 2013, productivity increased by another 74% while, when similarly adjusted for inflation, average hourly compensation increased by just 9%. Workers were getting more productive thanks to technological advancement, yet they were rarely the ones who benefitted.
Irish Examiner
February 19, 2026
Percent change in real wage by wage percentile is annual data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute and only available through 2025.
Bloomberg
February 19, 2026
Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute and former chief economist off the US Department of Labor, noted the increase of 463,000 workers represented by a union is the highest number in the US in 16 years.
“This is an extremely welcome departure from prior years’ declines,” Shierholz posted on Bluesky. “In a time of fear, uncertainty, and hardship, workers are realizing they are better off in a union. Workers are exerting control over their jobs and their lives through unionization. This is especially clear in the federal government, where unionization surged despite unprecedented attacks.”
She cited the increases in 2025 to “years of sustained effort. Organizing and winning union elections is a lengthy process, and the groundwork laid over many years definitely contributed to this year’s gains.”
The Guardian
February 18, 2026
KALW San Francisco
February 18, 2026
Mills’ organization brought together hotel workers from across the country, including members of Local 25, the union representing hotel, restaurant, and casino workers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Along with officials from the Economic Policy Institute, the union members held a roundtable discussion to share their experiences of how the hotel industry has been impacted over the past year.
El Tiempo Latino
February 18, 2026
By contrast, the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank, argues that rising costs of living justify wage increases to promote more spending power and stability for minimum wage workers. The organization said its research showed minimal to no job losses from minimum wage hikes.
ARL Now
February 18, 2026
Wage inequality is rising. According to Investopedia, the ratio of CEO pay to average worker pay in 2025 was 348-to-1.
The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) puts that number at 281 in 2024 compared with 21 in 1965.
Forbes
February 18, 2026
The Economic Policy Institute has found that teacher benefits, including pensions, do not fully offset what it calls a growing wage penalty compared to other college-educated workers. The compensation gap for teachers was -17.1% in 2024.
The Center Square
February 18, 2026
The Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, found the number of charges filed was “almost certainly” the highest number in history.
Business Insider
February 18, 2026
According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual cost of full-time child care in Florida ranges from $9,548 to $13,021
The News-Press
February 18, 2026