Dignity of Work Institute
@dignityofwork.bsky.social
Launched by Sherrod Brown and dedicated to the people who make this country work. Creating an economy where all work is valued.
Pinned
All work has dignity. Americans are working harder than ever, with less to show for it.
Sherrod Brown is launching the Dignity of Work Institute to create an economy where work is valued, workers benefit from the wealth they create, and everyone can afford a decent living.
Sherrod Brown is launching the Dignity of Work Institute to create an economy where work is valued, workers benefit from the wealth they create, and everyone can afford a decent living.
When full-time work doesn’t cover rent and groceries, the problem isn’t expectations, it’s the system.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
February 6, 2026 at 9:47 PM
When full-time work doesn’t cover rent and groceries, the problem isn’t expectations, it’s the system.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
When full-time work doesn’t cover rent and groceries, the problem isn’t expectations, it’s the system.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
February 4, 2026 at 6:05 PM
When full-time work doesn’t cover rent and groceries, the problem isn’t expectations, it’s the system.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
We can build a future where full-time work means stability, not constant tradeoffs.
You feel it every time you shop: coffee, paper towels, and other basics cost more.
NPR tracked 114 everyday items and found nearly half got more expensive.
Something is wrong when full-time work still means worrying about groceries. Hard work should pay off.
NPR tracked 114 everyday items and found nearly half got more expensive.
Something is wrong when full-time work still means worrying about groceries. Hard work should pay off.
January 23, 2026 at 9:45 PM
You feel it every time you shop: coffee, paper towels, and other basics cost more.
NPR tracked 114 everyday items and found nearly half got more expensive.
Something is wrong when full-time work still means worrying about groceries. Hard work should pay off.
NPR tracked 114 everyday items and found nearly half got more expensive.
Something is wrong when full-time work still means worrying about groceries. Hard work should pay off.
There was a time when a full-time job meant you could afford a home, a car, and some stability.
Now prices have exploded, wages haven’t kept up, and Gen Z is told to lower expectations.
Hard work should still pay off.
Now prices have exploded, wages haven’t kept up, and Gen Z is told to lower expectations.
Hard work should still pay off.
January 22, 2026 at 10:13 PM
There was a time when a full-time job meant you could afford a home, a car, and some stability.
Now prices have exploded, wages haven’t kept up, and Gen Z is told to lower expectations.
Hard work should still pay off.
Now prices have exploded, wages haven’t kept up, and Gen Z is told to lower expectations.
Hard work should still pay off.
We asked workers what it takes to feel middle class today. The answer: about $100K.
That’s not luxury – it’s housing, insurance, health care, and child care.
Most jobs don’t pay that. When costs soar and wages lag, “doing okay” still feels stressful.
That’s not luxury – it’s housing, insurance, health care, and child care.
Most jobs don’t pay that. When costs soar and wages lag, “doing okay” still feels stressful.
January 21, 2026 at 9:12 PM
We asked workers what it takes to feel middle class today. The answer: about $100K.
That’s not luxury – it’s housing, insurance, health care, and child care.
Most jobs don’t pay that. When costs soar and wages lag, “doing okay” still feels stressful.
That’s not luxury – it’s housing, insurance, health care, and child care.
Most jobs don’t pay that. When costs soar and wages lag, “doing okay” still feels stressful.
A low unemployment rate doesn’t mean the job market is working for most people.
Many of us are feeling stuck — fewer openings, slower hiring, and rising costs that make every decision harder.
What do you think: is the job market getting tougher?
Many of us are feeling stuck — fewer openings, slower hiring, and rising costs that make every decision harder.
What do you think: is the job market getting tougher?
January 20, 2026 at 10:03 PM
A low unemployment rate doesn’t mean the job market is working for most people.
Many of us are feeling stuck — fewer openings, slower hiring, and rising costs that make every decision harder.
What do you think: is the job market getting tougher?
Many of us are feeling stuck — fewer openings, slower hiring, and rising costs that make every decision harder.
What do you think: is the job market getting tougher?
If we’re looking back at 2016, it’s worth naming one big difference: Life is far more expensive now.
Same work, less breathing room.
Hard work should pay off.
Same work, less breathing room.
Hard work should pay off.
January 16, 2026 at 9:45 PM
If we’re looking back at 2016, it’s worth naming one big difference: Life is far more expensive now.
Same work, less breathing room.
Hard work should pay off.
Same work, less breathing room.
Hard work should pay off.
If most Americans can’t afford to live, the system is broken.
Hard work should pay off.
Source: @pbsnews.org
Hard work should pay off.
Source: @pbsnews.org
January 13, 2026 at 12:02 AM
If most Americans can’t afford to live, the system is broken.
Hard work should pay off.
Source: @pbsnews.org
Hard work should pay off.
Source: @pbsnews.org
This is what it looks like when the economy doesn’t reward work.
Minimum wage was meant to cover the basics. Now even “average” pay barely keeps up.
Something’s broken when full-time work isn’t even enough.
Minimum wage was meant to cover the basics. Now even “average” pay barely keeps up.
Something’s broken when full-time work isn’t even enough.
January 8, 2026 at 9:05 PM
This is what it looks like when the economy doesn’t reward work.
Minimum wage was meant to cover the basics. Now even “average” pay barely keeps up.
Something’s broken when full-time work isn’t even enough.
Minimum wage was meant to cover the basics. Now even “average” pay barely keeps up.
Something’s broken when full-time work isn’t even enough.
New year. New job search. Same frustrations.
When job searches are filtered by AI instead of people, workers feel it — in lower pay and fewer real opportunities.
Hard work should pay off.
When job searches are filtered by AI instead of people, workers feel it — in lower pay and fewer real opportunities.
Hard work should pay off.
January 7, 2026 at 12:08 AM
New year. New job search. Same frustrations.
When job searches are filtered by AI instead of people, workers feel it — in lower pay and fewer real opportunities.
Hard work should pay off.
When job searches are filtered by AI instead of people, workers feel it — in lower pay and fewer real opportunities.
Hard work should pay off.
“Gen Z doesn’t want to work.” Nah. Companies don’t want to hire.
December 26, 2025 at 11:38 PM
“Gen Z doesn’t want to work.” Nah. Companies don’t want to hire.
How are people surviving right now? That’s the question American workers are asking each other.
December 22, 2025 at 3:42 PM
How are people surviving right now? That’s the question American workers are asking each other.
Gen Z isn’t skipping holiday shopping for fun. Rent, groceries, and student loans are taking the whole paycheck. The economy isn’t working for workers.
December 5, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Gen Z isn’t skipping holiday shopping for fun. Rent, groceries, and student loans are taking the whole paycheck. The economy isn’t working for workers.
1-in-4 Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Wages up 1–2%. Prices up 3%. Debt is rising fast. People can’t keep up, no matter how hard they work. This is the economy people are actually living in.
‘Things are pretty crappy.’ 1 in 4 US households are living paycheck to paycheck | CNN Business
Austin H. can’t wait to buy a house and start a family. But right now, the 34-year-old is barely getting by.
www.cnn.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:13 PM
1-in-4 Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Wages up 1–2%. Prices up 3%. Debt is rising fast. People can’t keep up, no matter how hard they work. This is the economy people are actually living in.
A “good job” means fair pay, dignity, autonomy, and advancement. Only about 40 percent of U.S. workers have one today.
If we want to rebuild trust with working people, we need policies that create and sustain good jobs.
If we want to rebuild trust with working people, we need policies that create and sustain good jobs.
Opinion | What Even Is a ‘Good’ Job?
www.nytimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A “good job” means fair pay, dignity, autonomy, and advancement. Only about 40 percent of U.S. workers have one today.
If we want to rebuild trust with working people, we need policies that create and sustain good jobs.
If we want to rebuild trust with working people, we need policies that create and sustain good jobs.
“Just get a better job”? Not in this economy.
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
“Just get a better job”? Not in this economy.
Strong economy? Not for everyone.
Millions of working Americans are economically invisible—our wages are too low and our spending too small to even impact the data.
Millions of working Americans are economically invisible—our wages are too low and our spending too small to even impact the data.
Millions of Americans Are Becoming Economically Invisible
Broad swaths of the workforce may no longer have the spending power to meaningfully affect the statistics.
www.bloomberg.com
October 15, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Strong economy? Not for everyone.
Millions of working Americans are economically invisible—our wages are too low and our spending too small to even impact the data.
Millions of working Americans are economically invisible—our wages are too low and our spending too small to even impact the data.
The government is shut down. What are workers thinking about?
October 10, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The government is shut down. What are workers thinking about?
American workers are being squeezed harder than ever. Wages aren’t keeping up, but prices keep rising. 🧵
September 26, 2025 at 7:22 PM
American workers are being squeezed harder than ever. Wages aren’t keeping up, but prices keep rising. 🧵
The American Dream is slipping away.
September 16, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The American Dream is slipping away.
Monday was Labor Day. Today, American workers are still struggling. 🧵
September 4, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Monday was Labor Day. Today, American workers are still struggling. 🧵
American families are being squeezed.
August 22, 2025 at 9:34 PM
American families are being squeezed.
Half of Americans couldn’t cover a $1,000 emergency expense.
That’s not personal failure—it’s proof our economy isn’t working.
We joined @onecountryproject.bsky.social to talk about building an economy where everyone can afford the basics.
That’s not personal failure—it’s proof our economy isn’t working.
We joined @onecountryproject.bsky.social to talk about building an economy where everyone can afford the basics.
August 19, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Half of Americans couldn’t cover a $1,000 emergency expense.
That’s not personal failure—it’s proof our economy isn’t working.
We joined @onecountryproject.bsky.social to talk about building an economy where everyone can afford the basics.
That’s not personal failure—it’s proof our economy isn’t working.
We joined @onecountryproject.bsky.social to talk about building an economy where everyone can afford the basics.
“The big people, politicians or whatever you know, they don’t struggle, so they don’t think of people who struggle.” - Paralegal in Missouri
Too many American workers feel invisible to the people in charge.
🧵
Too many American workers feel invisible to the people in charge.
🧵
August 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
“The big people, politicians or whatever you know, they don’t struggle, so they don’t think of people who struggle.” - Paralegal in Missouri
Too many American workers feel invisible to the people in charge.
🧵
Too many American workers feel invisible to the people in charge.
🧵
Sen. Sherrod Brown: The GOP budget is a Frankenstein’s monster of taxpayer handouts to corporations and the wealthy, paid for by the working class. It’s rigging the system even more and making it harder for working people to get ahead.
The New GOP Bill Will Gouge Workers—And to Them, That’s Nothing New
We asked workers about what makes their lives hard. The universal answer: greedy corporations—and a government that does nothing to stop them.
newrepublic.com
July 15, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Sen. Sherrod Brown: The GOP budget is a Frankenstein’s monster of taxpayer handouts to corporations and the wealthy, paid for by the working class. It’s rigging the system even more and making it harder for working people to get ahead.