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Economic Policy Institute
@epi.org
21K followers 380 following 890 posts
We're a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank using the tools of economics to defend & promote workers' interests in economic policy discussions.

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Concerns about minimum wage increases driving price increases are exaggerated: resulting price increase are very small, and way smaller than any wage increase because labor costs at low-wage establishments are just a fraction of total costs. irle.berkeley.edu/wp-content/u...
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Abstract from the white paper A $20 minimum wage: Effects on wages, employment, and prices. The salient passage, "we find that the policy increased average weekly wages for covered fast food workers by 10 to 11 percent and did not reduce employment."
January 7, 2026 at 11:24 PM
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We understand that this WSJ op-ed doesn't want the NYC minimum wage to rise to $17 per hour next year BUT a single person in the New York metro area needs an even higher wage to make ends meet.
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This is a screengrab from EPI's Family Budget Calculator showing the annual costs for a single person in the NY metro area as totaling $76,934 per year, which works out to roughly $36/hr in pay.
January 7, 2026 at 11:24 PM
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Unsurprisingly, this WSJ op-ed gets things exactly backward.

In reality, minimum wages are one of the best ways to increase the pay of low-wage workers. Taking away their wage increases will worsen the affordability crisis.
From the Wall Street Journal Opinion section on December 30, 2025: The minimum wage makes the affordability crisis worse. Higher labor costs push prices up, while fewer jobs and hours mean less money in workers' pockets.
January 7, 2026 at 11:24 PM
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Due to structural racism, less than half of Black and Hispanic adults with enough savings to cover 3 months of expenses in case of an emergency.

A savings vehicle without continued government support will only deepen existing inequities for poor families. 5/
Less than half of Black and Hispanic individuals have enough savings to maintain their standard of living in case of a job loss or other emergency. Share of adults who have enough savings to cover expenses for three months in case of emergency, 2024. White 60.3%. Black 41.4%. Hispanic, 44.1%. Note: Race and ethnicity are mutually exclusive (i.e. white non-Hispanic, Black non-Hispanic, Hispanic any race). Source: Author's analysis of Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (Washington: Board of Governors, 2025)
January 6, 2026 at 9:24 PM
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👉 Reducing child poverty will also require confronting the low-wage employment regime sustained by an inadequate wage floor.

About 67 million workers earn less than $25/hour, a threshold considerably lower than the hourly earnings of a typical worker had their pay kept pace with productivity.
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This is the pay-productivity gap. The gap between productivity (to which wages were once closely tied when union membership was strong) and a typical worker's compensation has increased dramatically since 1979. Notes: Data are for compensation (wages and benefits) of production/nonsupervisory workers in the private sector and net productivity of the total economy. "Net productivity" is the growth of output of goods and services less depreciation per hour worked. Source: EPI analysis of unpublished Total Economy Productivity data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Labor Productivity and Costs program, wage data from the BLS Current Employment Statistics, BLS Employment Cost Trends, BLS Consumer Price Index, and Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income and Product Accounts.
January 6, 2026 at 9:24 PM
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Child poverty is a defining feature of the U.S. economy.

Since ’09, child poverty has declined by less than 4 percentage points, leaving the US with the second-highest child poverty rate in the rich world. Child poverty is especially harmful to children of color in the US. 😡

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The burden of poverty falls disproportionately over children of color. Bar chart showing the Child supplemental poverty rates by race and ethnicity in 2024. White children, 6.7%. Black children, 22.9%. Hispanic children, 21.5%. Asian children, 9.6%. American Indian and Alaskan Native children, 16/6%. Note: Race and ethnicity are mutually exclusive for all groups except Asian and American Indian and Alaskan Native (ie. white alone non-Hispanic, Black alone non-Hispanic, Asian alon, AIAN alone or in any combination, and Hispanic any race). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Poverty in the United States: 2024 data.
January 6, 2026 at 9:24 PM
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Earlier this year, EPI partnered with @darkhorseviz.bsky.social to bring nearly 40 years of data, analysis, and research to life for everyday users. Their team brought design, data, and purpose together in the State of Working America Data Library.

Try right now at data.epi.org 1/
The State of Working America Data Library Up-to-date and comprehensive historical data on the American labor force. Silver Anthem Award for Best Use of Data, DEIB
December 10, 2025 at 9:11 PM
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As you're making the BIG grocery list this weekend, consider buying union-made. When you buy union, you're supporting:

✨ Good jobs in U.S. communities
💵 Living wages
🩺 Good benefits
🦺 Safe working conditions
🫶 Dignity and respect for workers

These quality products are produced by union members 🧵
Buy union-made this Thanksgiving
November 21, 2025 at 9:59 PM
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A nurse on the picket line carrying a sign that reads "It's time to use our outside voices" The picket line at University Medical Center New Orleans, where nurses and members of other unions in solidarity with them, strike for fair pay and better working conditions. Nurses' working conditions are _your_ healing/treatment/things-can't-be-going-so-well-because-I'm-in-the-hospital conditions. Nurses--essential workers on the front lines caring for patients...what was it a hospital CEO does again?
November 13, 2025 at 12:45 PM
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Former acting Secretary of Labor @juliesulabor.bsky.social rallied the nurses with NFL Players Association president Eric Alexander.
Julie Su at the podium in front of a red and white banner that reads "NOLA Nurses on Strike for our Patients" Eric Alexander from the NFL Players Association, backing the line of nurses striking at University Medical Center New Orleans On the picket line, carrying a sign that reads, "If nurses are on the outside, something is wrong on the inside!"
November 13, 2025 at 12:45 PM
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More scenes from the @nationalnurses.bsky.social rally at University Medical Center New Orleans yesterday. There's still time today to show your support for nurses.
A picketer -- smiling because although striking is risky and hard and scary, it's empowering to fight for what you believe in which can be as simple and straightforward as fair pay for a day's work in your expertise and a safe workplace -- carrying a sign that says "$2.6 million for Greg Feirn yet pennies for essential workers!" ✊ Members of NPEU walk the picket line with National Nurses Union. Here a member in a blue Solidarity for Good t-shirt (get yours at npeu.org!) carries a sign reading, "Called heroes, treated like zeroes" 🥺
November 13, 2025 at 12:45 PM
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Nurses on strike at University Medical Center New Orleans carrying signs that read "Charity betrayed!" and "Retention - retain skilled nurses" Striking nurse at University Medical Center New Orleans carrying a sign that reads "Retention - retain skilled nurses" Striking nurse at University Medical Center New Orleans carrying a sign that reads "Don't sideline nurses"
November 12, 2025 at 3:14 PM
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The sign game is strong with this one #Solidarity
National Nurses Union strike at University Medical Center New Orleans -- protester holding a sign that reads "Think we will give up easily? Ask us how long we wait to pee"
November 12, 2025 at 3:09 PM
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Enrolled in the healthcare marketplace? @centeronbudget.bsky.social has some tips so you're not caught off guard with by premium increases.
Protect your wallet! Key dates and steps for marketplace enrollees Don't get caught off guard by premium increases in 2026. If you have ACA marketplace coverage: Nov 1 - Update your contact information as soon as possible with the marketplace and your insurer. Dec 15 - Log on to the marketplace website and select a plan or opt out of auto re-enrollment by December 15. Dec 31 -Log on to your insurer's website and consider canceling auto pay by December 31st to avoid unexpected premium charges. Dec 31 - Cancel coverage by December 31 if you are auto re-enrolled into a plan you don't want, to avoid being charged a January premium. Jan 15 - Return to the marketplace by January 15 to see if premiums have changed, in case the PTC enhancements are extended after open enrollment begins. This information was compiled and provided by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
November 7, 2025 at 8:53 PM
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Keep in mind, this is on a backdrop of rising food insecurity.

In 2023, the latest year for which estimates are available, 18 million households were unable to afford enough food at some point---affecting more than 1 in 5 Black and Hispanic households.
Bar chart showing how families of color (Black - 24.9%, American Indian and Alaska Native - 23.1%, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander - 20.2%, Hispanic - 18.5%, White - 7.9%) are significantly more likely to rely on SNAP to avoid food insecurity. Data from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
October 27, 2025 at 6:33 PM
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Unions help build a strong middle class by making sure that workers get their fair share of profits & pay

But union membership has fallen, & the top 10% are getting richer

Sen Hickenlooper & former NLRB Gen Counsel Abruzzo highlighted our chart showing this trend in a committee hearing last week:
October 14, 2025 at 7:20 PM
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Today is #LatinaEqualPay Day

Latinas are paid just 54 cents, on average, for every $1 non-Hispanic, white men are paid.

This is not just a number, but a lifetime of stolen wages. The pay gap harms Latinas, their families, and our entire country.

Latinas deserve fair pay now!
October 8, 2025 at 6:12 PM
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The US has been leaving school teachers behind for nearly 30 years.

In 20 states, teachers made 25% less than their peers.

What’s the teacher pay gap in your state?

Find out here: www.epi.org/publication/...
Map of the US titled: “How big is the teaching penalty in your state?” Map shows the relative teacher pay penalty for each state, ranging from 38.5% to 10%
September 25, 2025 at 7:08 PM
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What’s behind rising unemployment for Black women?

EPI's Valerie Wilson says the likely culprits are job losses in the employment services, manufacturing, and federal government industries.

Read her analysis: www.epi.org/blog/whats-b...
line graph titled: “Black women’s employment has fallen since 2024, but the sharpest declines have come in 2025.” Graph shows employment-to-population ratio for women by race and ethnicity, January 2023–August 2025
September 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
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The gap between productivity and pay has increased dramatically since 1979.

What happened? Intentional policy decisions to undercut workers, like deregulation, deunionization, and tax cuts for the rich.

Learn more: www.epi.org/blog/the-wid...
Line graph titled: "The gap between productivity and a typical worker’s compensation has increased dramatically since 1979." Graph shows productivity growth and hourly compensation growth, 1948–2025
September 17, 2025 at 3:19 PM
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Raids & indiscriminate immigration enforcement are disrupting farm labor & America’s food system

This Thursday, EPI's @dcosta.bsky.social will speak at an @investigatemidwest.bsky.social panel on raids, reform, & the future of farm labor

9/18 @1pm ET. Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/immigratio...
September 16, 2025 at 8:28 PM
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"Deportations don't just affect those being deported; they ripple throughout the economy," says EPI President @hshierholz.bsky.social.

Learn more about how Trump’s deportation agenda will destroy millions of jobs: www.epi.org/publication/...
September 12, 2025 at 2:53 PM
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Trump is using DC as a punching bag and hurting the workers and families that keep this city running, says EPI President @hshierholz.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 6:03 PM
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The US ranks 22nd in educational spending among its peer countries.

Recent studies show that money DOES matter when it comes to school spending, especially in high-poverty districts.

We need to spend more on public education!

Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...
Chart titled “22 countries invest more in public education than the U.S.” The chart provides a simple ranking of 35 countries based on average public per-pupil spending on K–12 education, expressed as a share of per capita GDP in each country in 2019.
September 8, 2025 at 3:20 PM
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“Trump wraps his economic agenda in pro-worker language, but when you strip that away, what remains is an agenda that takes from working families and gives to the wealthy," said EPI President @hshierholz.bsky.social this morning at a rally protesting Trump's cuts to the Labor Department.
September 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM