Work & the Economy
It’s about time student loan borrowers get some help. They’ve earned it.
Hard work ought to be rewarded and good news should be celebrated. President Biden’s announcement that millions of student loan borrowers could see some of their federal loan debts forgiven recognizes the hard work they put in to get an education and the personal responsibility they took on to pay for it. It is also […]
Report finds conditions are looking up for workers in Wisconsin — including increased power
Unemployment is down, wages are up and Wisconsin workers are more willing to talk union this Labor Day. That’s the summary of the newest State of Working Wisconsin report from COWS, a University of Wisconsin research center that looks at the state of the economy through the eyes of the broad workforce. “The question we’re […]
U.S. labor movement on the rebound
On Labor Day, right-wing prognosticators like to revel in the supposed demise of the U.S. union movement. While there may be a kernel of truth in the data – organized labor only represents 6.4%of the private-sector workforce – gross numbers are misleading and don’t begin to show today’s unfolding story of a newly invigorated union […]
Resurgent labor movement empowers all workers
This Labor Day, as we enjoy the day off that has become a cherished part of Americans’ late summer calendar, let’s take a moment to reflect on the history this holiday commemorates and the role our resurgent labor movement is playing going forward. By the late 1800’s, the Industrial Revolution had transformed society in both […]
How government aid helped Ron Johnson
In his two terms in office, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has run hard against government spending. Since his first Senate campaign in 2010, the Oshkosh Republican has described himself as an outsider and business creator who has succeeded without government help. He has dismissed big-ticket bills as wasteful, telling a TV host in June that […]
The Inflation Reduction Act will create climate jobs for Wisconsin workers
Wisconsin is entering a boom cycle in renewable energy development. From utility-scale solar projects that will replace aging infrastructure to plans for the manufacturing of the needed component parts here, progress is now a question of “when?’”and “how?” instead of ”‘if?” Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed into law by President Joe Biden […]
Nonunion workers turn to federal labor law to challenge employers
After what they said were repeated problems with their pay and working conditions, employees at a Madison apparel and screen printing business sent the owner a petition last week describing their frustration. They wanted a meeting at which they could discuss complaints that they said included missed payroll, stifling hot work rooms and a lack of […]
Cyclists, pedestrians and motorists clash over COVID street changes
During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities including Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles installed dedicated bus lanes within a matter of months. To aid struggling restaurants, many cities eliminated parking spaces to allow curbside pickup zones for takeout and delivery. Communities closed off lanes or even whole streets to make space for pedestrian-only […]
UW Health nurses vote for 3-day walkout in September to gain union rights
A Wednesday night vote by hundreds of nurses working for UW Health to strike if the hospital system’s management does not recognize their union followed months of conversations, meetings and strategizing among more than 2,000 nurses employed by the largest health care provider in Madison. Nurses involved in the campaign say that the decision to […]
Janesville manufacturer that fled to Mexico is selling off its assets
Less than a year after Hufcor closed its plant in Janesville and moved operations to Mexico, displacing 150 workers, the company’s Mexico plans appear to be a bust and the manufacturer’s assets in its one-time home state of Wisconsin are being liquidated. On Thursday, Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington authorized the court-appointed receiver for […]
State’s jobs numbers, unemployment are both up, although not by much
Wisconsin employers added nearly 10,000 jobs in July, the state labor department reported Thursday, continuing job growth that has been steady for six out of the seven months of 2022. At the same time, however, “we didn’t see the normal pop we get in June and July in the workforce,” said Dennis Winters, chief labor […]
Baldwin spotlights infrastructure law, climate bill on visit to Madison factory
Fresh from a marathon weekend in which Senate Democrats moved long-awaited budget legislation to address climate change across the finish line, Sen. Tammy Baldwin paid a visit Tuesday to the place where the rubber meets the road. Or the electrons meet the vehicle. At Franklin Electric, a manufacturing plant on the far southeastern edge of […]