David Madland is a senior fellow and the senior adviser to the American Worker Project at American Progress.
He has been called “one of the nation’s wisest” labor scholars by Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne Jr. Mary Kay Henry, president of Service Employees International Union, says his work “is creating a North Star for how we increase workers’ power in the economy and democracy.”
Madland writes about the economy and American politics, especially the middle class, economic inequality, labor unions, retirement policy, and workplace standards. He is the author of Re-Union: How Bold Labor Reforms Can Repair, Revitalize, and Reunite the United States (Cornell University Press, 2021) and Hollowed Out: Why the Economy Doesn’t Work without a Strong Middle Class (University of California Press, 2015).
He appears frequently on television including on PBS, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox and is a regular guest on radio talk shows across the United States. His work has been cited in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker. He has also testified before Congress as well as several state legislatures.
Prior to his work at American Progress, Madland worked on economic policy for then-Rep. George Miller (D-CA). He received his doctorate in government from Georgetown University and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. His dissertation about the decline of the U.S. pension system received the “2008 Best Dissertation Award” from the Labor and Employment Relations Association.
This report serves as a guide for state and local government officials and advocates interested in developing workers’ board policies.
Expanding on existing Ghent-like programs in the United States would strengthen unions and improve government services.
Workers are increasingly receiving their compensation through payroll cards, and policymakers should take steps to ensure the safety of these financial products.
The Trump economy has failed to deliver for those who need it most: American workers.
Union membership increases wealth for all workers and does the most for nonwhite families.
Wage boards would empower all workers to negotiate for higher pay and benefits.
Creating and funding sectorwide labor-management training partnerships would benefit workers, business, and the larger economy.
This report explains how to modernize labor law to raise wages, increase collaboration, and boost productivity.
The decline of unions over the past 30 years has contributed to the falling share of middle-class workers.
New analysis shows that children whose parents belonged to a union—as well as children who grew up in areas with high union membership—earn more money as adults.
