Many of us who fight for workers’ rights and good jobs know that So-Called Right-to-Work (SCRTW) is wrong for workers.
SCRTW laws allow workers in unionized businesses to benefit from a union contract without paying union dues. It’s like allowing someone to belong to a health club without paying membership fees – of course, some will take advantage of the offer. The problem for the health club is that, with less membership fees, it’s harder to keep up the equipment or pay the trainer.
It’s the same with a union, which won’t be able to maintain the staff needed to negotiate a good contract or provide other services to members.
These laws are designed to weaken unions and they do. A rigorous study, published in 2011, found that SCRTW reduced wages and cut health care and pensions for union and non-union workers. The study also shows so-called right-to-work laws have no impact on economic growth.
Unions are explaining why SCRTW is wrong, but we should say more about what SCRTW would mean for young people, from first-graders to recent college graduates.
Home-care aides — providers of hands-on care to older adults and people with disabilities — are one of Ohio’s fastest growing occupations, growing at more than five times the rate of overall jobs in the economy. Home-health and personal-care jobs continued to grow during the last two recessions, and the numbers of workers employed in the industry has nearly tripled since 2001. According to the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), Ohio now has approximately 86,000 home-care aides, including 66,000 home-health aides, and 20,000 personal-care aides.
Rapid growth of the home-care industry is largely good news. Given most people’s preference for in-home care and the fact that home-based services are less expensive than institutional care, growth of the home-care industry is largely a win-win.
However, the home care industry is riddled with high turnover rates, workforce vacancies and related quality-of-care issues. This is largely the result of low job satisfaction due to low wages, part-time and unpredictable hours, and a lack of benefits that come with the job. In order to serve the growing public demand for these services, while ensuring continuity and quality of care, policymakers must address the need for better wages and benefits in the industry.
In addition to our analysis and public education work around the New York State and City budgets and tax policies, the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) regularly tracks economic and labor market trends in the City and the State and provides commentary and prepares issue briefs, reports, and policy proposals. Our interest in economic policy is rooted in a concern for broadly shared prosperity.
Previous FPI economic reports have documented the historically weak nature of the national recovery since the Great Recession of 2008-09. One of the unique aspects of this recovery has been the prolonged period of high unemployment and a concomitant wage and income stagnation experienced by most workers and their families. Various reports in recent years, by FPI and others, have documented the tendency during the recovery, and in recent decades, for the bulk of income gains to flow to those at the high end of the income distribution. With unemployment finally falling and as a result of two state minimum wage increases, it appears that wage growth has started to pick up in New York City over the past year. In addition, collective bargaining agreements providing for retroactive wage increases have been reached with 300,000 New York City and Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers since April 2014. This report examines wage trends over the course of the recovery and considers the outlook for further wage growth over the next few years, and discusses the role of policy actions in creating a more durable local economy.
During this year’s legislative session, lawmakers have an opportunity to enhance the already important contributions immigrants make in our state. As the Legislature considers funding for schools, health care and other services, along with other policies, it is important to understand how immigrants play a major role in Washington state’s economy and society.
Immigrants are an important part of the fabric of our society, making our state more culturally rich and economically vibrant. Like so many new Washingtonians before them, they come from all regions of the world in search of opportunity.
The majority of immigrants in our state – who represent one in six workers (17 percent) – are from Mexico, the Philippines, Canada, Vietnam and Korea. (1) Immigrants – whether naturalized citizens, lawfully present, or undocumented – play a significant and growing role in Washington state’s economy. As 13 percent of the total Washington state population, immigrants’ share of total annual economic output is 14 percent.