David Cooper

David Cooper is an Economic Analyst at the Economic Policy Institute. His work focuses on the minimum wage, state labor markets, poverty, and wage and income trends.

Articles by this author

Raising the minimum wage is one of the most straightforward ways to lift pay for the lowest-paid workers in the economy. (Photo: SEIU) Views
Friday, December 28, 2018
Over 5 Million Workers Will Have Higher Pay on January 1 Thanks to State Minimum Wage Increases
On January 1, 2019, 20 states will raise their minimum wages, lifting pay for 5.3 million workers across the country. 1 The increases, which range from a $0.05 inflation adjustment in Alaska to a $2.00 per hour increase in New York City, will give affected workers approximately $5.4 billion in...
Read more
Views
Thursday, February 18, 2016
How We Can Save $17 Billion in Public Assistance—Annually
Note to conservatives: Want to know the best way to find savings in government assistance programs? Here’s a hint—it’s not by cutting nutrition assistance to working people who are struggling. It’s by paying them fairly for their labor. A new report from the Economic Policy Institute indicates that...
Read more