Still, COWS Associate Director Laura Dresser notes workers in the state are “seizing the opportunity” presented by the tight labor market to secure better jobs, or higher wages in their current position. Wisconsin’s unemployment rate hit a record-low 2.4 percent earlier this year before ticking up to 2.6 percent in July.
High Road Strategy Center in the News
Report has a mixed Labor Day outlook for Wisconsin workers
The State of Working Wisconsin 2023, published by COWS, a Wisconsin research and policy analysis center, paints a mixed picture of conditions for people who work for a living in the Badger State — hopeful and challenging at the same time.
Inflation erases wage growth in Wisconsin, according to COWS report
“It’s especially evident that workers with lower wages have made the strongest gains,” says Laura Dresser, associate director of COWS, in a news release. “Their progress is helping reduce some of Wisconsin’s most troubling inequities.”
Racial gaps in unemployment and wages are shrinking in Wisconsin
“Workers are seizing the opportunity provided by tight labor markets to find better jobs or improve the ones they are staying in,” COWS associate director Laura Dresser said in a press release.
All In: Student Pathways Forward featuring Laura Dresser
In this episode, host Marc Goldberg interviews Tillamook Bay Community College graduate and current college Success Coach and adjunct welding faculty Jude Schlotzhauer, college President Dr. Ross Tomlin and Laura Dresser, associate director at COWS, a research center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Wisconsin has seen record-low unemployment for over a year. What does that mean for workers?
Beyond wages, Laura Dresser, associate director of the COWS economic think tank at UW-Madison, said the tight labor market also gives workers more leverage to negotiate with their employers for more flexible hours or to …
Obstacles to Participating in the Workforce
As Goes Wisconsin welcomes Laura Dresser, associate director of COWS, to talk about the obstacles people face when it comes to being a part of the workforce and what policies could actually fix that. Listen …
Wisconsin ‘prime working age’ labor force participation among best in the nation
Laura Dresser, associate director of the COWS economic think tank at UW-Madison, said women in the workforce feel the effects of that most. “Moms tend to carry the burden of care disproportionately in families,” she …
This Is Good News For Workers
A low unemployment rate is certainly good news for people looking for a job, but today’s guest says “it matters for all workers, because when the line at the door is short, it means they …
Wisconsin businesses want more workers, but barriers prevent many from joining the labor force
Laura Dresser, associate director of the COWS economic think tank at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said another approach could be addressing the issues that prevent people from joining the workforce, like child care, transportation and …