We're a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank using the tools of economics to defend & promote the interests of workers in economic policy discussions. epi.org Podcast: epi.org/podcast/ Newsletter: epi.org/signup/ Federal Policy Watch: epi.org/policywatch
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Next week, the Census will release new poverty estimates for 2024 Whatever the data say, we know that families of color w/ children are disproportionately vulnerable to poverty Trump's economic chaos is leaving them more vulnerable to insecurity in the next recession: www.epi.org/publication/...
Trump's chaos is leading to a painful economic slowdown. Communities of color will bear the brunt of the impact. EPI's @icidmartinez.bsky.social examined the economic vulnerability of Black & Hispanic adults as fears of a recession rise: www.epi.org/blog/financi...
Unemployment rate for black women is up in 6 of the last 8 months. fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=1M4Lo
a major concern coming out of the jobs report today is prime-age Black employment, which fell in 2025 these data are noisy and while it would be great if they turned around, I'm not optimistic: there will be downward pressure from federal job losses over the next few months
While relatively stable this year, the share of Hispanics w/ a job (63.4%) continues to edge down very slowly since April. This is also reflected in the employment rates of both Latinas and Latinos, falling only slightly to 58.9% and 75.3% in August.
The Hispanic unemployment rate (UR) increased slightly to 5.3% in August. This marks the second consecutive monthly increase since June. Both Latinas and Latinos experienced this small increase, as their URs climbed marginally to 4.9% and 4.8% respectively. #EconSky #JobsDay
“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.
Black unemp is a volatile series, but 3 months of increases denotes a trend that should be given some attention
Don't be fooled by Trump's propaganda: the war on immigrants has still not helped US-born workers Today's data show US-born unemployment was higher every month of 2025 compared to previous years
Good morning folks! Today's #jobsday has payrolls at +22k and unemployment edged up to 4.3%. Follow @elisegould.bsky.social for all the gossip
The labor market continues to soften, according to the latest #JobsReport out this morning from the BLS. Payroll employment grew only 22,000 in August and revisions now show employment losses for June (-13,000). Over the last three months, job growth has slowed to just 29,000 on average. #EconSky
Next week’s 2024 Census data will give us the final snapshot of the economy’s health *before* Trump Here's what our economists think the census data will reveal about income, poverty, and health insurance across the country: www.epi.org/blog/next-we...
New York City has a cost-of-living crisis: the current minimum wage ($16.50) is only about half of the living wage. A ‘$30 by 2030’ minimum wage reflects the very real needs of NYC's working people. The first step is letting the city set its own wage floor: www.epi.org/blog/a-30-by...
Don’t be fooled—US-born workers are facing a worse labor market in 2025 Trump will probably use tomorrow's jobs report to falsely claim that he is creating jobs for US-born workers, but that's not true. EPI's @benzipperer.org explains how Trump is misreading the data: www.epi.org/blog/dont-be...
🚨US jobs day PSA🚨 Unemployment rates and employment-to-population ratios are the indicators to watch. Too difficult to interpret levels and counts Would be helpful if these rates improved, but there are some ominous signals: Black employment-to-population ratios seem to be deteriorating rapidly
Trump's immigration agenda is not helping US-born workers US-born unemployment rates are higher in 2025 than in previous years
Tariffs don't automatically raise wages or create good jobs. New @EPI research shows that w/o strong unions, tariff gains go to CEOs & shareholders—not workers. For workers to win, tariffs must be paired w/ pro-labor reforms. But Trump has declared open season on unions. www.epi.org/publication/...
Trump is trying to take away minimum wage & overtime protections for home care workers. Care work is essential, & care workers deserve to be paid fairly & live with dignity. This is a fight for a care system that values people over profit. Read EPI's comment: www.epi.org/publication/...
Trump's mix of high tariffs and union-busting won't deliver higher wages or new manufacturing jobs for American workers - it will just increase profits for corporations. Check out my new report with @epi.org:
Trump's broad & historically high tariffs are bad for everyone. But even strategic tariffs aren’t guaranteed to protect workers without unions. Tariffs can protect industries, but only unions protect workers. Read more on why Trump’s trade policy won’t help US workers: www.epi.org/publication/...
The latest #JOLTS data for July 2025 shows a labor market very similar to June 2025. The BLS reports that job openings were little changed, falling slightly in July, while hires, quits, and layoffs and discharges were unchanged. Current rates remain a bit lower than last year. #EconSky @epi.org
Nearly 600 economists, Nobel Laureates sign open letter supporting due process for Lisa Cook and Federal Reserve independence for the good of our economy and democracy. Great work from @tderyugina.bsky.social organizing such a quick response. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
🚨 Trump is the biggest union-buster in US history 🚨 In March, Trump stripped union protections from more than 1M federal workers. Last week, leading up to Labor Day, Trump expanded his order to additional federal agencies. Learn more about Trump's attacks on workers: www.epi.org/blog/trump-i...
Wages of unionized workers are 13% higher than their nonunion counterparts. But unions also set a higher pay standard that all workers enjoy. In high-union-density states, median household income is $12,000 higher than in low-union-density states. This is why unions are vital.
As kids head back to school this year, public education is under attack from Trump's assault on the Dept of Ed and the rise of voucher programs. These attacks threaten to rob kids of a quality education. Learn more in our new report: www.epi.org/publication/...
Look at this graph. The share of national income going to the richest 10 percent was lowest (and share to lower 90 percent highest) when union membership was at its highest. As unions have weakened, inequality has widened. This is why we must build back union power.
Looking forward to talking this morning w/ @laist.com's Larry Mantle AirTalk on economic challenges facing restaurants and workers under Trump: 1. Indiscriminate mass deportations 2. Tariff squeeze 3. Interest rates and assault on the Fed 4. Wilting consumer demand laist.com/shows/airtalk #89.3FM
Latest US deportation data through August 23: the rate is now about 1200 deportations every day, about half of Trump's goal This data is noisy and very imperfect, but there was a slight drop in deportations from the previous peak
A not-so-happy Labor Day for farmworkers, thanks to the Trump administration's latest move to end the USDA survey of farm employers. The only reason to do this is to lower wages for both migrant farmworkers and U.S. farmworkers - who are already some of the-lowest paid workers in the country:
Lisa Cook's firing is a big deal. Data-based economic decision making is essential to keeping costs and interest rates low. Leaving our economy vulnerable to the whims of the President will crush consumer confidence and drive up prices. @epi.org www.epi.org/policywatch/...
This #WorkersLaborDay, join us as we show the billionaires who workers are and how we fight. Let’s stand together. Speak out. Demand better. And let’s take our country back.
Workers made this country what it is today, and we aren’t about to let billionaires and union-busters take it from us. On #WorkersLaborDay, we celebrate how far we’ve come and we fight back for the freedom, fairness, and security workers deserve.
70.6% of states with the highest union density have paid sick leave laws, compared with just 11.8% of low-union-density states. Unions don’t just help union workers—they make their communities better places, lifting standards for ALL workers 🌇 Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...
Latest Gallup poll data reveal, once again, that the main obstacles to unions in the the US are broken labor laws and employer aggression Two-thirds of the US public approves of labor unions, but unions only represent about 11 percent of the workforce
On average, states with a Republican trifecta spend $141 less per kid on education than states without a Republican trifecta. For districts in high-poverty neighborhoods, Republican trifecta states spend $244 less per pupil. Education funding is a policy decision. www.epi.org/publication/...
62 years ago today the 1963 March on Washington demanded a powerful workers' rights agenda and end to segregation The $2 minimum wage they proposed would be worth over $17 today That's a $20k annual earnings increase over the current federal minimum wage for a full-time, full-year worker
🚨 Extreme heat is deadly for workers and costly for the economy 🚨 While a federal heat standard is in limbo, state lawmakers need to act now to protect their workers from extreme heat. EPI's Nina Mast and Emma Cohn detail key protections states should adopt: www.epi.org/blog/extreme...
While we all know about Social Security, most of us don't have all the details, leading to big questions. Luckily, @epi.org has you covered. Check our their Social Security FAQ now! 🔗:
“The research shows very clearly that when you deport immigrant workers, native-born workers lose jobs as well,” EPI's @metacoop.bsky.social told @capitalandmain.bsky.social. Read how the Trump administration's policies are harming workers across the economy below
The last 2 recessions hit low-income families hard, especially families of color. Trump's economic agenda is making them more vulnerable to the next recession, says EPI's @icidmartinez.bsky.social. Learn more about the 9.7 million low-income families in our new report: www.epi.org/publication/...
Late last week, we shared the news that Immokalee-area farmworker Marco Antonio Hernández Guevara had been hospitalized after collapsing from heat stroke in Florida’s fields. Today, with heavy hearts, we share the news that Mr. Guevara passed away over the weekend. ciw-online.org/blog/2025/08...
TODAY at 1pm! Check out EPI's Chandra Childers at a @ceprdc.bsky.social panel on current challenges to Black employment, policy solutions for good jobs and living wages, and pathways to economic opportunity. More info below!
NEW: Union density is 2x higher in abortion-protected states than in abortion-restricted states Unions aren't just a workplace issue. They also give workers a voice in shaping their communities, including strengthening reproductive freedom. Learn more in our new blog: www.epi.org/blog/unions-...
Check out EPI's Chandra Childers TOMORROW at a @ceprdc.bsky.social panel on current challenges to Black employment, policy solutions for good jobs and living wages, and pathways to economic opportunity. More info below!
NEW: Union density is 2x higher in abortion-protected states than in abortion-restricted states Unions aren't just a workplace issue. They also give workers a voice in shaping their communities, including strengthening reproductive freedom. Learn more in our new blog: www.epi.org/blog/unions-...
The last two recessions hit low-income families of color with children especially hard: Trump’s economic agenda will expose millions to even more pain as economic growth wanes and fears of a recession rise #EconSky www.epi.org/publication/...
Trump's attempted removal of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook a flagrant violation of the law, and it will raise interest rates and lead to higher costs for working people from @hshierholz.bsky.social www.epi.org/press/trumps...
@epi.org's @hshierholz.bsky.social cuts through the fog of Trump's attempt to fire Lisa Cook from the Fed: This is a flagrantly illegal act that will impose significant costs across the economy. bit.ly/47ghG3U
Trump’s attempt to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook is "a flagrant violation of the law," says EPI President @hshierholz.bsky.social. Politicizing the Fed will hurt our economy and lead to higher costs for US households. Read the full statement: www.epi.org/press/trumps...
Trump’s attempt to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook is illegal and politically motivated. It threatens Fed independence—and the economy. The courts must block this. Here's my full statement—it explains exactly how this will hurt the economy in a (hopefully) accessible way: www.epi.org/press/trumps...
BREAKING: DOGE Put Critical Social Security Data at Risk, Whistle-Blower Says Trump and DOGE are putting YOUR data at risk. As we said in May, working people will pay the price. Identity theft could cost working people $39.4 BILLION/year Learn more: www.epi.org/publication/...
Unions can play a critical role in safeguarding reproductive freedom: in states where union density is high, abortion access is much more likely to be protected. www.epi.org/blog/unions-...
📉 Vouchers. Budget cuts. Federal attacks on the Department of Education. All of these schemes have one thing in common: they strip resources from kids and weaken public schools. Public education isn’t a luxury, it’s a promise. And we’re fighting to keep that promise alive. More from @epi.org ⬇️
Our watchdog team is tracking actions out of the White House, Congress, the courts, and federal agencies that impact workers and their quality of life. Sign up for our daily Federal Policy Watch newsletter to get the latest analysis from our economists and attorneys: mailchi.mp/epi/federal-...
Median household income is $12,000 higher in states with high union density than in states with low union density 📈 Unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by setting higher standards that nonunion employers must meet to attract & retain workers. www.epi.org/publication/...
Check out EPI's Chandra Childers next week at a @ceprdc.bsky.social panel on current challenges to Black employment, policy solutions for good jobs and living wages, and pathways to economic opportunity. More info below!
Aw dang it. The latest report from @epi.org shows that the US is falling behind on education funding. It’s time we fully funded our public schools so every child can thrive. Read more: www.epi.org/publication/...
Vouchers, budget cuts & attacks on the Dept of Ed aren’t helping kids, they’re abandoning them. Every kid deserves a safe, welcoming public school where they can thrive. That requires resources + support, not more cuts. Read more from @EconomicPolicy: www.epi.org/publication/...
A new report from @epi.org finds that unions are not only good for their members, but they also benefit their communities. For example, median household incomes in high-union-density states are more than $12,000 higher, on average. www.epi.org/publication/...
Money DOES matter in education. We should be spending more, not less, to make sure every kid has access to an excellent public education 🍎 Learn more about threats to public education and how we can solve them: www.epi.org/publication/...
📉 Vouchers. Budget cuts. Federal attacks on the Department of Education. All of these schemes have one thing in common: they strip resources from kids and weaken public schools. Public education isn’t a luxury, it’s a promise. And we’re fighting to keep that promise alive.
Vouchers, budget cuts, and federal attacks on the US Dept. of Education are starving our schools. A new @epi.org report shows that these attacks threaten our children’s futures. Imagine how bright our future would be if we fully funded every child’s education. www.epi.org/publication/...
A new report from @epi.org shows that states with high union density also have: ✊Higher incomes ✊Greater access to health & unemployment insurance ✊Higher spending on education ✊Greater access to sick leave ✊Fewer restrictions on voting rights #WorkersDeserve
Our new research shows that state budget cuts and the rise of voucher programs are robbing children of an adequate education. Learn more from @hilwething.bsky.social: www.epi.org/publication/...
"Unions aren’t just good for workers—they also benefit communities and democracy" — @epi.org 🔗 www.epi.org/publication/...
Actually the research on this shows that housing prices increase because deportations eliminate construction jobs and reduce the number of new homes being built
Unions boost wages 🚀 On average, a union worker earns 12.8% more in wages than their nonunionized peers. But unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by raising standards. Read our new report about how unions are good for workers AND communities: www.epi.org/publication/...
Wages of unionized workers are 13% higher than their nonunion counterparts. But unions also set a higher pay standard that all workers enjoy. In high-union-density states, median household income is $12,000 higher than in low-union-density states. This is why unions are vital.
Unions do more than just improve wages and benefits. They build stronger communities and strengthen democracy. A new report from @epi.org shows that where unions thrive, communities thrive. Imagine what we could achieve if more people had a voice at work. www.epi.org/publication/...
Unions boost wages 🚀 On average, a union worker earns 12.8% more in wages than their nonunionized peers. But unions don’t just help union workers—they help ALL workers by raising standards. Read our new report about how unions are good for workers AND communities: www.epi.org/publication/...
TODAY @ 1pm ET: Check out EPI's Valerie Wilson at a @cornellilr.bsky.social panel on Digging Deeper into Economic Anxiety: Beyond Unemployment and Inflation Rates. Register here: www.ilr.cornell.edu/carow/events...
North Carolina must invest in affordable childcare so we have an economy that works for all of us, regardless of who we are or where we live. Tell your state lawmaker that a thriving economy is #poweredbychildcare! #ncpol actionnetwork.org/ca...
Excellent explanation by @deanbaker13.bsky.social of the confusion with the U.S.-born numbers in the CPS Any claim that the U.S.-born pop'n, employmnt, or labor force is surging is wrong—a statistical artifact. The U.S.-born unemployment rate is, in fact, rising. open.substack.com/pub/deanbake...
Check out EPI's Valerie Wilson this week at a @cornellilr.bsky.social panel on Digging Deeper into Economic Anxiety: Beyond Unemployment and Inflation Rates. Wed. Aug 20 1pm ET Register here: www.ilr.cornell.edu/carow/events...
Trump's war on immigrants is not generating jobs for US-born workers Compared to last year, prime-age employment rates of US-born workers are pretty similar and may be lower
🧵@markzandi.bsky.social offers a useful way to understand what is happening in the economy right now. Segments of the economy are surging ahead, driven by speculation and rent-seeking; other segments are benefitting from that speculation and rent-seeking; and parts are in outright recession... 1/7
There's always more to learn about Social Security, even when it's been around for 90 years. That's where this great resource from @epi.org comes in; follow the link to get answers to some of your biggest questions about Social Security! www.epi.org/publication/...
We get it—there's a lot going on right now If you care about protecting & improving the lives of working people, but don't have time to read all our research, we made a newsletter for you Sign up for EPI Spotlight, a weekly email highlighting our most relevant research: mailchi.mp/epi/epi-spot...
Next week, EPI's Valerie Wilson will speak at a @cornellilr.bsky.social panel on Digging Deeper into Economic Anxiety: Beyond Unemployment and Inflation Rates. Wed. Aug 20 1pm ET Register here: www.ilr.cornell.edu/carow/events...
latest data from ICE: the pace of deportations continued to increase in August Trump is now deporting people at a rate of about half of his stated goal of 1 million per year
Got questions about #SocialSecurity???? This is a fantastic resource!!!!! ❤️
Happy Birthday Social Security 🫡
Want the facts and not the Trumpelstiltspin version? Check out our new Social Security FAQ www.epi.org/publication/...
What's at stake under Trump’s anti-equity agenda that most recently includes the federal takeover of DC? Our new report examines economic conditions for Black Americans in 10 cities and shows how Trump's actions will hurt Black workers and their communities. www.epi.org/publication/...
How do we honor one of our most successful institutions on its 90th birthday? We do everything in our power to ensure it's here for another 90 years and beyond. The Trump administration and Congress MUST protect and strengthen our Social Security. #SocialSecurityStrong
Learn more about Social Security in our new FAQ: www.epi.org/publication/...
REMINDER: If billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos paid their fair share, we could afford to EXPAND benefits and strengthen Social Security’s customer service! Instead, Republicans are cutting Social Security and giving tax cuts to billionaires.
How it started / how it's going: (links to sources in image description)
Happy Birthday, Social Security! For 90 years, this essential program has ensured we can retire after a lifetime of hard work. The best years are still ahead, for us AND Social Security. Together, we'll fight to keep it around for another 90 years! #SocialSecurityStrong
When Trump and friends started pushing no tax on tips, this is what they wanted to achieve: keystonenewsroom.com/2025/08/12/p...
Social Security turns 90 today. Social Security is the largest form of wealth 90% of people will have. Privatizing Social Security won't help workers—it would just enrich Wall Street. Learn more about Social Security in our new FAQ: www.epi.org/publication/...
Happy 90th birthday to Social Security, one of our nation's greatest and most successful achievements! We need to protect our checks by making billionaires pay in at the same rate as the rest of us!
Social Security turns 90 tomorrow. Social Security has never missed a payment, even during national crises like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina. We should be increasing resources for this important program, not laying off critical staff and closing offices. www.epi.org/publication/...
Social Security turns 90 tomorrow. Social Security has never missed a payment, even during national crises like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina. We should be increasing resources for this important program, not laying off critical staff and closing offices. www.epi.org/publication/...
Trump’s assault on honest stats: “Between illegal firings of public servants, starving data agencies of needed resources, and now political intimidation, the U.S. looks set to run into the next economic downturn flying blind.” @epi.org @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social www.epi.org/press/trump-...
Trump nominated right-wing Project 2025 contributor EJ Antoni as the next Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner. Trump wants to hide the consequences of his bad policies by manipulating BLS data—but it won’t work, says EPI Chief Economist @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social: www.epi.org/press/trump-...
From @epi.org's @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social: Trump wants to hide the consequences of his bad policies by manipulating BLS data—it won’t work www.epi.org/press/trump-...
Social Security turns 90 this week. We love Social Security because: ❤️ It's the largest form of wealth most people will have ❤️ It's never missed a payment ❤️ It's universal—everyone benefits Celebrate by learning more about Social Security in our new FAQ: www.epi.org/publication/...
Social Security turns 90 this week. We love Social Security because: ❤️ It's the largest form of wealth most people will have ❤️ It's never missed a payment ❤️ It's universal—everyone benefits Celebrate by learning more about Social Security in our new FAQ: www.epi.org/publication/...
Social Security turns 90 on Thursday!!! New from me and @joshbivens-econ.bsky.social @epi.org, a primer that answers some questions and misconceptions about the greatest government program of all (really)! www.epi.org/publication/...).