Work & the Economy

A worker (C) tells people that the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters is closed on March 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.

Members of U.S. Senate panel press financial regulators on massive bank failures

BY: - March 28, 2023

WASHINGTON — Financial regulators promised a full review of Silicon Valley Bank’s massive failure as members of a key U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday interrogated the officials about what led to the second-largest bank collapse in U.S. history. Members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs asked if the Federal Reserve could […]

child care center kids

Company tests a $5k subsidy to help employees pay for child care

BY: - March 16, 2023

When the COVID-19 pandemic made filling job openings even tougher than it had been for years, Tina Kowalczyk decided to see what Schreiber Foods could do to help employees with child care. Kowalczyk leads the benefits team at Schreiber, a Green Bay producer and distributor of branded foods, including cheeses, dairy beverages and yogurt, with […]

U.S. Senate leader calls for safety audit into all major railroads after Ohio derailment

BY: - March 15, 2023

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Wednesday for the federal authority responsible for determining the causes of transportation casualties to investigate the safety culture at all major North American freight railroads. Following the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment that caused a toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio, Schumer, a New York Democrat, said […]

Mobile billboard criticizing Congressman Scott Fitzgerald

Advocates take aim at Congress members who say they’ll fight FTC ban on noncompete clauses

BY: - March 15, 2023

Just after New Year’s Day the Federal Trade Commission said it was moving to block employers from restricting where ex-employees can go to work. Noncompete clauses — contract provisions that forbid a worker who leaves a job from working for a competing employer or starting a competing business, usually in a specific geographic area — […]

A worker (C) tells people that the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters is closed on March 10, 2023 in Santa Clara, California.

Biden says U.S. bank deposits are safe despite tumult over California bank collapse

BY: - March 13, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden reassured Americans early Monday that their money is safe in U.S. banks, after a tumultuous weekend following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and a move by regulators to shut down a second lender. Americans “should feel confident that their deposits will be there, if and when they need them,” […]

COMMENTARY
Solidarity and Diversity in the Labor Movement

State Reps Hong and Shelton reintroduce Economic Justice Bill of Rights

BY: - March 11, 2023

Two years after its initial introduction into the state legislature, State Reps. Francesca Hong (D-Madison) and Kristina Shelton (D-Green Bay) reintroduced their Economic Justice Bill of Rights (LRB-1728), surrounded by supporting public officials and social justice organizations on the Assembly floor at the State Capitol (WisconsinEye recording). They have re-opened a door to reviving Wisconsin’s […]

Mural depicting workers

Jobs return to pre-pandemic numbers, but the workforce is shrinking

BY: - March 10, 2023

Wisconsin now has almost as many jobs as it did before the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago, according to the latest numbers from the state labor department, but fewer people are working or available to work than even one year ago. The state unemployment rate inched down slightly in January to 2.9%, closing in on […]

President Joe Biden speaks about his fiscal 2024 budget request on Thursday, March 9 at Finishing Trades Institute in Philadelphia. (Screenshot from White House feed).

Biden budget asks for 25% tax on billionaires, boosts in domestic and defense spending

BY: - March 9, 2023

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Thursday he’s ready to meet with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to hash out federal spending as soon as House Republicans release their budget, a challenging task without a firm deadline. “I’m ready to meet with the speaker anytime, tomorrow if he has his budget,” Biden said during a […]

Fewer businesses hiring would actually be seen as a good thing for inflation right now. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Powell signals higher interest rates. Here’s why Friday’s jobs report will affect Fed’s decision.

BY: - March 9, 2023

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said this week that interest rate increases could be higher and come faster if Friday’s unemployment data shows the nation’s labor market isn’t cooling off. Stock indexes fell after his comments. That’s been a familiar pattern over the past year as the federal bank has tried to combat inflation.  A […]

Money

Proposed federal rule would lower credit card late fees

BY: - March 7, 2023

As Americans continue to struggle with high credit card rates, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a rule to help lessen some of their financial burden — in the form of lower late fees.  The new rule would limit late fees to $8. Currently credit card companies can charge as high as $41 — […]

Mother using laptop computer as she cares for baby

Some small business owners see paid leave proposal as a boon to hiring

BY: - March 6, 2023

In 2012 when they were living in Canada, William and Nicole Green welcomed their first daughter into the world, and Nicole, a Canadian citizen, was able to take a year off from work with pay. Two years later they were living in Wisconsin when their second daughter was born. The available time off was just […]

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 07: Supporters attend Press Briefing With U.S. House And Senate Champions, Impacted Families on Expanding the Child Tax Credit During Lame Duck Session on December 07, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Economic Security Project)

Child poverty dropped to a record low last year. A new report shows how to keep it that way.

BY: - March 6, 2023

The expanded child tax credit that families received in 2021 helped reduce child poverty across the country, but particularly in the South where families lack a sufficient safety net, according to a paper released on Wednesday. The report by the Hamilton Project, the Brookings Institution’s economic policy initiative, comes as some Democrats appear ready to […]