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** Justice Ginsburg’s legacy to workers ([link removed])
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A note from EPI’s Eve Tahmincioglu ([link removed]) : The presidential candidates took the stage for their first of three debates, and unfortunately, amidst the rancor, little concrete information emerged in terms of policies or plans for bolstering workers. Political experts expect more substance to come from future debates and, in order to help our readers understand the state of working people in this country, EPI has compiled resources that could be useful when unpacking economic claims, shedding light on everything from COVID’s impact on health insurance to how investments in infrastructure and climate would boost job creation. In this issue, we also introduce the ‘Unequal Power project,’ inspired by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and hear from education experts about the challenges to K–12 learning presented by the pandemic.


** Fact-checking resources for the presidential debates and beyond ([link removed])
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EPI has compiled resources that could be helpful in fact-checking economic and political claims made during and after the presidential debates. We’ve broken down our research into several themes and have highlighted some of our most important research in each area: response to COVID-19, unemployment, labor protections, trade and manufacturing, taxes, health care, education, child care, immigration, and wages and inequality. Read the blog post » ([link removed])
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** Fact-checking resources for the presidential debates and beyond
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** Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg understood that unequal power is a workplace reality ([link removed])
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Among the many important legacies Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves behind is a critical labor law legacy that shines a light on the inequality of bargaining power between employees and employers. As Samuel Bagenstos, a former Ginsburg clerk, writes, Ginsburg’s 2018 dissent in Epic Systems v. Lewis “was apt—not just because the court’s decisions have undermined the enforcement of democratically adopted worker protections, but also because those decisions have rested on a view of consent that ignores the imbalance of bargaining power in the workplace.” Bagenstos is the author of a forthcoming paper on the “Lochner era,” named for the 1905 labor case Lochner v. New York; the paper is part of a new EPI initiative called the Unequal Power project ([link removed]) that highlights the flawed but pervasive assumption that workers and employers have equal power. The Unequal Power project, to be launched on
October 7, is dedicated to Justice Ginsburg. Read the blog post » ([link removed])


** What to watch on jobs day ([link removed])
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On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release its latest jobs report with a snapshot of the labor market in mid-September. By now, the pandemic recession has caused immense damage to the health and economic well-being of millions of people for over six months. The economic pain easily extends to over 33 million people ([link removed]) in the economy today. Meanwhile, policymakers—particularly Senate Republicans—continue to drag their feet on relief. It is a simple fact that the labor market damage would be significantly lessened by vital public health investments and economic relief for today’s workforce as well as state and local governments. Policymakers must act if there’s any hope for a swifter and more broad-based recovery. Read the blog post » ([link removed])


** ‘We prioritized open bars before giving resources to schools’ ([link removed])
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Policymakers have failed to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic’s damaging impact on K–12 education and provide the necessary funding to make it safe for students to return to in-person learning. That was the resounding message from a panel ([link removed]) of key educators, researchers, and labor leaders convened by EPI. The event centered around a recent EPI report, COVID-19 and Student Performance, Equity, and U.S. Education Policy ([link removed]) , which outlines a three-pronged plan for schools and the U.S. education system: immediate relief, short-term recovery, and long-term rebuilding. Watch key moments from the event »
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** Upcoming webinars
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** Centering Unequal Workplace Power ([link removed])
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The equal power assumption is false, but pervasive, in employment law, philosophy, political science, and economics, and it greatly disadvantages the vast majority of working people. The Economic Policy Institute’s Unequal Power initiative is a three-year, interdisciplinary initiative that challenges the equal power assumption and identifies why we need to operate within a framework that centers unequal workplace power. Join us on Wednesday, Oct. 7, for the launch of Unequal Power ([link removed]) , featuring presentations and a discussion by leading thinkers, a brief overview of the project, and a dedication of the initiative to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose dissent in Epic Systems inspired the project ([link removed]) . Register for the event » ([link removed])


** Teacher Compensation Penalty ([link removed])
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Public school teachers earn about 20% less in weekly wages than nonteacher college graduates, according to a recent EPI report ([link removed]) . Although teachers on average enjoy better benefits packages than similar workers, the authors find that benefits only mitigate part of the pay penalty. EPI President Thea Lee will moderate a discussion ([link removed]) on Wednesday, Oct. 14, featuring National Education Association President Becky Pringle and the report’s authors, Lawrence Mishel and Sylvia Allegretto. The speakers will share findings from the report, delve into the history of teacher pay, and assess the impact of the persistent pay inequity. Register for the event » ([link removed])


** Previous webinar
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** Coronavirus Pandemic Poses Major Challenges to U.S. Students and Teachers—and Exacerbates Existing Education Inequities ([link removed])
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EPI hosted a discussion about the state of education during COVID-19, and what needs to be done now to support educators and mitigate the damage to student performance—especially for the most vulnerable children. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, opened the conversation, and Ivey Welshans, a teacher in Philadelphia, gave a reality check on the challenges on the ground. We also heard from the authors of an EPI report ([link removed]) about a host of factors leading to disruptions in learning caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Watch the video » ([link removed])


** EPI in the news
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EPI President Thea Lee wrote an opinion piece for The American Prospect ([link removed]) about the many ways the Trump administration has hurt workers, citing a recent report ([link removed]) on the issue. | Trump’s War on Workers ([link removed])
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Marketplace Morning Report ([link removed]) featured EPI Research Director Josh Bivens sharing his predictions on which aspects of the economy would be discussed during last night’s presidential debate. | In First Presidential Debate, What Will We Hear About the Economy? ([link removed])
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EPI’s Josh Bivens was one of three policy experts tapped by USA Today ([link removed]) to share his solutions for reducing economic inequality, citing EPI’s research on the gap between productivity and the typical worker’s pay ([link removed]) . | What’s the Big Idea? 3 Proposed Solutions for Reducing Economic Inequality ([link removed])
Follow EPI on Instagram ([link removed])


** What we’re reading
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35,000 airline workers may lose their jobs tomorrow ([link removed])

While Washington is consumed with Donald Trump’s taxes and a presidential debate, thousands of airline workers will be out of work tomorrow without Congressional help. And it does not look like that help is on the way. Read more » ([link removed])

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The latest frontier in worker activism: Zoom union campaigns ([link removed])

Carolina Rodriguez said she had never thought much about joining a union until a co-worker lost his job. Read more » ([link removed])


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Fact-checking resources for debate season
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