“These public programs have really choked the wages in a lot of ways,” said Laura Dresser, a labor economist and associate director of UW-Madison think tank COWS who has spent decades studying low-wage work. “It’s …
COWS in the News
What does record-low unemployment mean for Wisconsin? Experts weigh in
“The economy has a lot of jobs and this gives workers more leverage than they’ve had in a while. There’s some evidence that the strongest wage increases are happening in our lowest wage sectors,” Laura …
The Great Female Resignation: Why so many women left their jobs when the COVID-19 pandemic hit
“The intensity of that collapse is truly historic,” labor economist Laura Dresser said.
Surplus another ‘golden opportunity’ Republicans are determined to miss
“The surplus news reflects the unwillingness of the Legislature to invest the money as the federal government intended,” explains University of Wisconsin economist Laura Dresser, associate director of COWS. “It exists because we didn’t invest what …
Black moms, their babies face higher health risk in Wisconsin, but Legislature won’t address it
Black Wisconsinites were nearly twice as likely as their white peers to not have health insurance, according to a 2017 report from COWS. Post Crescent, November 16, 2021 —Madeline Heim
October unemployment drops, jobs increase, although numbers are modest
The number of available Wisconsin workers remains small as people leave the labor force. Interview with Laura Dresser by Erik Gunn in November 19, 2021, Wisconsin Examiner.
Black moms, their babies face higher health risk in Wisconsin, but Legislature won’t address it
Black Wisconsinites were nearly twice as likely as their white peers to not have health insurance, according to “Wisconsin’s Extreme Racial Disparity,” a 2017 report from COWS.
Wisconsin’s unemployment rate remains at 3.9% for the sixth month in a row
“The pandemic really exacerbated and exposed some underlying issues in these labor markets, and those are issues relating to low wage jobs and gender inequality in the way we think about the distribution of care …
The UW Now: Understanding the Labor Shortage – Livestream Event with Laura Dresser
The UW Now Livestream presents Understanding the Labor Shortage Tuesday, October 12, 2021 7p CT Permanent Link Wisconsin Alumni Association YouTube channel The labor market continues to be an obstacle to a full economic recovery, …
Can a Milwaukee janitors’ contract plant the seeds of a new middle class?
Wisconsin Examiner‘s Erik Gunn covers union expansion in the Milwaukee suburbs. The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 an hour for more than a decade, and activists seeking to raise it have promoted …