AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement in response to a new U.S. Census Bureau report showing the fastest middle-class wage growth on record:
The income and poverty data released today are welcome and hard-earned signs of progress. They demonstrate that the combined efforts of the labor movement, the Obama administration, the Federal Reserve and many state legislatures to raise wages are paying off. There is a growing movement to rewrite America’s economic rules, and today’s good news validates the collective path we are on.
The data also reveal that underlying structural issues still must be addressed. In order to achieve a society of shared prosperity, we must expand efforts to rewrite the rules, ensuring that every facet of our economy serves the workers and families who drive our productivity.