This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with returning guest Laura Dresser, associate director of the High Road Strategy Center at UW-Madison. The conversation is focused on the center’s latest report, “Can’t Survive on $7.25,” which makes the case that Wisconsin’s minimum wage is too low to live on and explores the potential impacts of raising it.
Leslie Vasquez Guzman
$20 by 2030? Progressive think tank explores raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage
Wisconsin Public Radio featured our latest Can’t Survive on $7.25: 2026 Update report, highlighting how Wisconsin’s minimum wage has remained unchanged for 17 years and examining the potential impacts of raising it to $20 an hour by 2030.
UW think tank report slams state’s ‘paltry’ minimum wage
WisBusiness highlights our latest Can’t Survive on $7.25: 2026 Update report, which examines who would benefit from raising Wisconsin’s minimum wage to $20 by 2030.
High Road Strategy Center Releases Can’t Survive on $7.25: 2026 Update
The High Road Strategy Center has released an updated edition of Can’t Survive on $7.25, examining the impact of Wisconsin’s stagnant minimum wage and the potential benefits of raising the state’s wage floor. Wisconsin’s minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009, while inflation has steadily eroded its value and neighboring states have moved ahead with significantly higher minimum wages.
Deer District Venue Workers Turn Landmark Union Vote into a Blowout
Hoodline reports on Deer District venue workers voting overwhelmingly to unionize under MASH. The article references High Road Strategy Center research on how community benefits agreements and organizing have improved wages and standards for workers in the district.
DataWatch: Wisconsin hasn’t raised its minimum wage for 17 years. What does that mean for workers and the economy?
Wisconsin Watch explores how Wisconsin’s failure to raise its minimum wage for 17 years has eroded workers’ purchasing power, drawing on High Road Strategy Center research on the benefits of higher wages. Associate Director Laura Dresser underscores that a strong wage floor is essential to ensure full-time work provides a basic standard of living.
Point Taken w/ Kristin Brey – October 14th, 2025
Point Taken host Kristin Brey chats with Laura Dresser about tariffs, immigration, and the shifting landscape of Wisconsin’s economy.
Wisconsin’s Economic Rollercoaster and the D.C. Shutdown Showdown
Maggie, host of The Maggie Daun Show, dives into Wisconsin’s economic landscape with labor economist Laura Dresser, revealing a post-pandemic recovery paired with worrying disparities.
Tuesday 9/23/25: State of Working Wisconsin report, Buc-ee’s proposal, MMSD project, local sign painter
Laura Dresser, Associate Director and author of State of Working Wisconsin 2025, sits down with WUWM 89.7’s Lake Effect to talk about the findings from the newest report.
Wisconsin Depends on Immigration
Urban Milwaukee highlights findings from the State of Working Wisconsin 2025 report, showing that immigrants make up 5% of Wisconsin’s population and play critical roles across industries from health care to agriculture. The article highlights the importance of immigrant workers and business owners to the state’s economy amid shifting national debates over immigration policy.