The Laborer is a fiercely non-partisan, pro-labor newsletter dedicated to amplifying the voices, struggles, and triumphs of workers everywhere. With unwavering commitment to solidarity, we deliver bold, unfiltered news and stories that champion the heart and resilience of the working class, symbolized by our striking red eagle.
Wage Stagnation: Fighting for Fair Pay in a Corporate Economy
Despite rising costs, wage stagnation keeps millions of workers—factory hands, retail clerks, teachers—trapped in financial insecurity, with pay barely budging while corporate profits soar. At The Laborer, our red eagle soars to demand living wages and policies that put workers first. This isn’t about politics; it’s about workers struggling to afford rent, groceries, and a future.
The Wage Crisis
Wages are stuck. A 2025 Economic Policy Institute (EPI) study shows real wages for the bottom 50% of workers—65 million—grew only 0.5% annually since 2000, while costs like housing rose 40%, per a 2025 BLS Consumer Price Index report. Median hourly pay is $19.50, barely covering necessities, per a 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) study. Corporate CEOs earn 344 times the average worker, up from 21 times in 1965, per a 2024 EPI report, siphoning $1.2 trillion in profits annually. Unlike mandatory arbitration, wage stagnation isn’t a legal trap but a systemic squeeze. Unlike child labor violations, it impacts all workers, not just youth.
Low-wage and minority workers suffer most. Black and Latino workers, 45% of low-wage jobs, earn 20% less than white counterparts, per a 2025 Center for American Progress study. Women, 50% of the workforce, face a 16% gender pay gap, per a 2024 BLS report. Part-time workers, 25% of the workforce, saw 0% wage growth since 2010, per EPI.
Systemic Roots
Corporate power drives stagnation. A 2025 National Employment Law Project (NELP) report notes 60% of industries are dominated by a few firms, reducing competition and wage pressure. Union decline—only 10% of workers are unionized, down from 20% in 1980, per BLS—cuts bargaining power. Federal minimum wage, $7.25 since 2009, covers 1.3 million workers, worth 30% less today, per a 2025 DOL study. Unlike workplace safety violations this isn’t about hazards but survival.
The Fight for Fair Pay
Workers are pushing back. In 2024, the Fight for $15 campaign won $15 minimum wages for 2 million workers in 10 states, per Labor Notes. Seattle’s $20/hour minimum wage raised earnings 10%, per a 2025 UC Berkeley study. Globally, Germany’s $14 minimum wage boosted low-wage incomes by 12%, per a 2025 OECD report. Solutions include a $17 federal minimum wage, stronger union protections, and antitrust enforcement, lifting 50 million workers, per EPI. Public support is strong—70% back a $17 minimum, per a 2025 YouGov poll.
Our Labor Nest demands fair pay. Struggled with stagnant wages? Share in the comments.
Let’s win a living wage.
In Solidarity,
The Laborer Team
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Sources
- Economic Policy Institute, “Wage Stagnation and Inequality,” 2025.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Consumer Price Index: 2025,” 2025.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Wage Trends by Sector,” 2025.
- Economic Policy Institute, “CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratios,” 2024.
- Center for American Progress, “Racial Wage Gaps,” 2025.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Gender Pay Gap: 2024,” 2024.
- National Employment Law Project, “Corporate Concentration and Wages,” 2025.
- U.S. Department of Labor, “Federal Minimum Wage Impact,” 2025.
- Labor Notes, “Fight for $15 Wins: 2024,” 2024.
- UC Berkeley, “Seattle Minimum Wage Impact,” 2025.
- OECD, “Minimum Wage Effects: Germany,” 2025.
- YouGov, “Public Support for Minimum Wage Increase,” 2025.
All sources are researched and fact-checked, but you are welcome to debunk us if you wish. ❤️