New study: Strengthening collective labor rights can help reduce economic inequality

New study: Strengthening collective labor rights can help reduce economic inequality

New study: Strengthening collective labor rights can help reduce economic inequality Despite the strength of the U.S. economy, the gap between rich and poor Americans is increasing. The wealthiest 1% of Americans have more than five times as much wealth as the bottom 50%, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve. That’s up from four times as much in the year 2000. In 2024 alone, the wealthiest 19 families got a total of US$1 trillion richer — the largest one-year increase on record. And yet 59% of Americans don’t have enough money saved up to cover an unexpected $1,000 expense. We are political scientists who study human rights and political economy. In a 2023 study, our team looked at 145 countries, including the U.S., to understand the link between labor rights and inequality. We found evidence that strengthening collective labor rights may reduce economic inequality. ‍ Empowering workers Collective labor rights include the rights to form and join a union, bargain collectively for higher pay a…