Economy
Latino voters in Colorado say housing, cost of living are main concerns in new poll
Latino voters in Colorado are largely concerned with the economic challenges they face and want to see policy priorities that address the rising cost of living, improve wages and enable housing stability, a statewide survey shows. That is a main takeaway from the 2023 Colorado Latino Policy Agenda, an annual survey in its third year […]
Democrats push to extend child care grant program
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to extend funding for five years for a pandemic-era child care subsidy program set to expire at the end of the month. The legislation would extend the child care stabilization grant program, which Congress established in 2021 to help child care providers meet additional costs during the […]
‘A devastating blow’: SNAP cuts, inflation put stress on Colorado food aid programs
Food banks and pantries in Colorado are feeling the pressure of increased demand as more people are experiencing food insecurity amid high inflation and reduced government benefits. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many families have relied on expanded monthly benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a federal program that provides food aid […]
Millions more workers would receive overtime pay under proposed Biden administration rule
Salaried workers who have been ineligible for overtime pay would benefit from a proposed Biden administration regulation. The Department of Labor’s new rule would require employers compensate full-time workers in management, administrative, or other professional roles for any overtime worked if they make less than $55,068 annually. Currently, the salary threshold is $35,568. The change […]
After a century, states are loosening child labor laws. Where’s the outrage?
This commentary originally appeared in the Kansas Reflector. When Jacob Riis came to Emporia, Kansas, in 1902 to give a lecture, audiences knew what they could expect. Twelve years earlier, he had published “How the Other Half Lives,” which exposed through candid photographs the living conditions of the poor in the slums of New York […]
United Auto Workers strike — if it happens — should channel the legacy of Walter Reuther
This commentary originally appeared in The Conversation. The United Auto Workers are engaged in high-stakes labor negotiations that could lead to the union’s first simultaneous strike against all of Detroit’s Big Three automakers: General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, the company that owns Chrysler. After decades of making concessions to their employers, the union’s demands for […]
Job growth exceeds economists’ expectations as unemployment inches up
The labor market is stable and healthy, economists and policy experts say, although the unemployment rate ticked up in the month of August. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report released Friday showed that unemployment rose to 3.8% in August from 3.5% in July. Meanwhile the economy added 187,000 jobs, above expectations of 170,000 jobs from […]
State-funded zero-fare program ends as RTD launches free youth ridership pilot
Though a detailed report on the ridership impacts of a state-funded free-fare program on Colorado’s largest transit system won’t be available until next month, officials with the Regional Transportation District say the early signs are positive. RTD’s Zero Fare for Better Air program, established by state lawmakers to encourage alternatives to car travel during the […]
Labor leader Shuler touts union support as possible auto strikes loom
Support for unions is growing amid shifting working conditions and labor disputes around the country, according to Liz Shuler, the president of the largest labor group in the country. In Shuler’s comments Tuesday at the AFL-CIO’s first State of the Unions event in Washington, she cited polling that showed support for unions cut across party […]
Hickenlooper joins SAG rally for entertainment workers in Denver, urges fair AI use
U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper joined entertainment workers on the picket lines Friday as the Colorado chapter of the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists held a solidarity rally in Denver amid the continued national strike. Hollywood productions have ground to a halt this summer after SAG-AFTRA joined the Writers Guild […]
Federal call center workers join March on Washington call attention to workplace inequities
Call center workers that help Americans navigate the ACA marketplace and Medicare are demanding more paths for advancement, higher pay, and more breaks between calls at this year’s March on Washington. They’re looking to bring government attention to their cause after previous efforts to get the attention of officials with the Department of Labor and […]
Colorado state treasurer urges feds to reject Kroger-Albertsons merger
Colorado Treasurer Dave Young on Wednesday became the latest elected official in the state to formally oppose the proposed $24.6 billion merger between supermarket giants Kroger and Albertsons. In a joint letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Young, a Democrat, and six other state treasurers wrote that the deal would threaten “the long-term economic security […]