Wisconsin Becoming a Low-Wage Economy

By Jeanne Larson UW-Milwaukee Professor Marc Levine's October 2014 study for the Center for Economic Development, "Is Wisconsin Becoming a Low-Wage Economy? Employment Growth in Low, Middle, and High Wage Occupations: 2000-2013," uses Bureau of Labor Statistics data to illustrate a troubling long-term trend in Wisconsin: the number of low-wage jobs is growing much faster than middle- or high-wage occupations. Levine divided Wisconsin's 750 occupations into three tiers based on median wages, the midpoint where half the workers in the job are paid more, half are paid less: Low-wage $12.50/hour or less Middle-wage ...

Political Candidates and Middle Wisconsin Members Supporting the Fast Food Workers Strike

From left to right: Paul DeMain - State Senate Candidate 29th District, Joyce Luedke - MW Member, Randy Radtke - President of Marathon County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Nancy Stencil - State Candidate 86th Assembly, Dave Svetlik - MW Member, Dorothy Miller - Chairwoman Marathon County Democratic Party, Rita Pachal - MW Member and Head of Wausau area Move to Amend, Kelly Westlund - US Assembly candidate Wisconsin 7th Congressional District.

A Wealthy Capitalist on Why Money Doesn’t Trickle Down

Nick Hanauer, venture capitalist and self-described "plutocrat," says a healthy economy and an effective democracy depend on a thriving middle class of workers. The fundamental law of capitalism is: When workers have more money, businesses have more customers. Which makes middle-class consumers—not rich businesspeople—the true job creators. A thriving middle class isn’t a consequence of growth—which is what the trickle-down advocates would tell you. A thriving middle class is the source of growth and prosperity in capitalist economies. Our economy has changed, lest you think that the minimum wage is for teenagers. The average age of a ...

Dean Einerson’s Speech to Wisconsin Jobs Now Workers Before the Strike

Wausau, WI Labor Temple September 4, 2014 It is really good to be here in Wausau again. It is good to be here because it is always good to be around brave people. It is good to be here because the brave workers in Wausau are showing the rest of the North Woods what all of us need to do to get ahead. It is good to be here because there are workers in 130 cities and 35 countries on strike today for $15 and a union and that is very, very good. In the fall of 2012 there were a couple of hundred workers on strike. Last May there were strikes in over 100 cities, over 20 countries, and 6 continents. (The penguins in Antarctica haven’t started ...

Randy Radtke’s Speech to Wisconsin Jobs Now Workers Following the Strike

Wausau WI Labor Temple September 4, 2014 Let's give a round of applause for the workers going out on strike today, they are the real heroes. It shows that if we unite together, change will happen. There are many cities that have raised the minimum wage already because of this movement. Our own Jessy West recently won a judgment against Lee’s Famous Recipe as a result of the Wausau Fast Food Workers Strike back in May. Governor Scott Walker keeps talking about how anyone who needs a job can get a job. The problem with this is that workers often hold three – and if there were more hours in a day many of our people would work four – of the ...