economy
What’s grown in Washington may be part of your Thanksgiving feast
Buttery, creamy mashed potatoes. The perfect pumpkin pie. A juicy turkey leg. And don’t forget to wash it all down with a glass of wine. Thanksgiving is upon us, and as families make their final meal plans for the big day, Washington farmers and the state’s economy are preparing for a boost. Agriculture, domestic sales […]
Consumer spending drives another $200M in expected state revenue growth
Washington’s economy is churning a little slower as consumers keep spending but homes aren’t selling at the pace they were a year ago. A new revenue forecast released Monday projects state tax collections will reach $66.9 billion for the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, an increase of $191 million from what chief economist […]
Retailers pare back their seasonal hiring to prepare for ho-hum holidays
Black Friday shoppers may notice longer lines and fewer retail associates in some of their favorite stores than in past holiday seasons as retailers scale back seasonal hiring over concerns about consumer spending. JCPenney is hiring 12,000 fewer workers than last year. Macy’s 3,000 fewer. Meanwhile a Walmart executive said the retail giant has been […]
Oregon and Washington fruit packers vote to unionize fails
This article was first published by the Oregon Capital Chronicle. One of the first and largest attempts to unionize fruit packers in the region in recent years has failed. A total of 328 employees of Washington-based Mount Adams Fruit voted Monday and Tuesday on unionizing with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 3000. About […]
Residents of Midwest, Mountain West see biggest pay bumps
Residents of some Midwestern and Mountain states gained the most income per capita during the past four years, a Stateline analysis shows, as competition for workers drove up wages in relatively affordable places to live. With the COVID-19 pandemic now in the nation’s rearview mirror, Stateline’s analysis offers a more complete understanding of how some […]
Washington finds a new chief economist in King County
David Reich has spent the past decade providing economic prognostications for King County. Soon, he’ll be producing official economic and revenue forecasts for the entire state. On Friday, Reich was named chief economist and executive director of the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. “I’m thrilled to be in this position,” Reich said following […]
Jobs report surprises as employers add 336,000 jobs in September
Employers continued their hiring streak in September, surprising economists by boosting jobs for workers in restaurants, health care, and government. The Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly jobs report, released Friday, showed a gain of 336,000 jobs. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.8%. The BLS also revised the jobs added in July and August from 157,000 […]
Washington minimum wage to top $16 an hour next year
Minimum wage workers in Washington will get a pay hike in January. The state’s minimum wage will rise to $16.28 an hour starting Jan. 1, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries has announced. That’s a 54-cent increase from the current hourly rate of $15.74, which is the highest of any state in the nation […]
Women workers could bear economic brunt as federal child care funding ends
A huge chunk of pandemic relief funding that kept child care programs afloat for the past few years is set to run out Saturday, and policy advocates say the economic impact will be profound, with the ripple effect hurting labor force participation and consumer spending at a time when the country is still trying to […]
New state budget forecast offers $1B worth of good news for Washington leaders
Lawmakers will have nearly $1 billion more to spend in the current budget, according to the latest analysis from the state’s chief economist. A new forecast released Tuesday projects state revenues will reach $66.7 billion for the two-year budget cycle that began July 1, an increase of $663 million from what chief economist Steve Lerch […]
FTC and 17 states sue Amazon over claims of monopolistic conduct with online retail
The Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general are suing Amazon, claiming that the Seattle-headquartered tech and retail giant is engaging in monopolistic and uncompetitive practices. Washington is not among the states joining the lawsuit, which the FTC announced on Tuesday. Amazon’s actions violate the law not because it is a massive enterprise, according […]
Consumers face higher car prices, lower inventory with auto workers on strike
Economic experts and researchers say that the auto workers strike could have far-reaching economic consequences for businesses and consumers, depending on its duration. In addition to workers’ job losses, consumers could see higher prices for cars and depleted inventory. The United Auto Workers union, representing about 150,000 auto workers, walked off the job at midnight […]