Karla
Walter

Virginia Workers’ Biggest Win in Decades Could Come in 2026

Virginia lawmakers can empower hundreds of thousands of state and local government workers to unionize and bargain collectively over wages, benefits, and working conditions. Doing so will help make work pay for Virginia families; allow state and local governments to attract and retain well-qualified workers; and align with the values of everyday Americans.

State and Local Policymakers Can Raise Standards and Build Power for Workers

States and cities can advance these 21 ideas in 2026 to build worker power, support unionized workers, and uphold workforce stability and standards.

Union Trigger Laws 101: How States Can Protect Workers if Federal Labor Law Falls

Trump and conservative courts are threatening to end Americans’ right to unionize. Here is how cities and states can prepare if the National Labor Relations Act is struck down or ceases to be enforced.

The Fight To Unionize Starbucks by the Numbers

Thousands of unionized Starbucks workers across the country are ramping up pressure on the corporation to finalize a first contract that could boost take home pay, hours, benefits, and working conditions.

Good Jobs for Government Workers Improve Public Services

By maintaining fair working conditions for government workers, state and local policymakers can increase productivity, improve public outcomes, support stable revenues, and attract the next generation of public servants.

Governors Should Fight for an Economic Agenda To Improve the Lives of Working-Class Residents

By advancing policies to build power and raise the wages of working-class families, governors can improve economic opportunity for all state residents and illustrate a strong contrast with the Trump administration, which is abandoning its commitments to working people.

How State Spending Can Create a Good Jobs Economy

In a report published by State Innovation Exchange (SiX), Karla Walter outlines six ways states can create a good jobs economy.

Trump Is Making America Greater for Billionaires, Not Workers

In an op-ed published by InsideSources, Karla Walter and David Madland break down the real economic impacts that Trump’s recent slew of executive orders could have on everyday Americans.

What State Lawmakers Could Do for Working-Class Americans

In an op-ed published by Governing, Karla Walter and David Madland describe tangible, proven strategies state policymakers can use to strengthen the power of the working class in their communities this year.

8 Ways States Can Build Worker Power

State lawmakers should act to strengthen workers’ power in the economy.

7 Ways State Lawmakers Can Build Public Sector Union Power

State lawmakers can adopt new policies to empower workers across the public sector to come together in strong unions, negotiate for fair pay and working conditions, and train the next generation for public service.

Too Many Airport Service Workers Earn Low Wages and Benefits

New CAP analysis shows many essential airport service workers earn less than $15 per hour. Here’s how policymakers can fix that.

4 Lessons on Creating Good Manufacturing Jobs Through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Industrial Investments

The Biden-Harris administration's industrial investments from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act are creating U.S. manufacturing jobs and often result in high-quality union jobs, but policymakers can go further to uphold job quality on projects that receive federal investments.

Public Officials Should Use Their Bully Pulpit To Support Worker Organizing and Bargaining

Pro-worker policymakers should use public and private rhetoric to support organizing campaigns and ensure government spending creates high-quality union jobs.

Op-ed: Airport service workers demand better support in the workplace. It’s time we listen

Karla Walter published an op-ed in Crain’s New York Business arguing for why airport service workers under the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey deserve better workplace standards.

Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform.

8 Ways the Biden Administration Is Improving the Lives of Service Workers

The Biden administration is raising pay, building power, and improving living standards for service workers across the economy—including fast-food cooks, call center workers, teachers, home care workers, and federal employees.

It’s time for local policymakers to cement the Biden administration’s workforce gains

Karla Walter writes in Route Fifty about the need for policymakers to build on the Biden administration’s historic federal infrastructure investments, arguing that one of the best ways to cement these workforce gains is for local jurisdictions to strengthen their job quality standards.

President Biden Should Veto Anti-Worker Lawmakers’ Attack on Union Rights

The Biden administration is fighting to protect fast food and outsourced workers’ right to come together in unions—and shouldn’t let anti-worker lawmakers undermine these efforts.

Government on Workers’ Side

State and local policymakers can raise standards for workers and the public through prevailing wages, project labor agreements, and several other best practices.

Workers Want Unions: How States Have Strengthened Worker Power in 2023

States are taking action to strengthen workers’ ability to unionize and collectively bargain as well as raise job standards.

Point: Strong Prevailing Wage Standards Help Grow the Economy

In an InsideSources op-ed, Karla Walter argues why the Biden administration’s support of prevailing wage standards will help grow the middle class.

5 Reasons Automakers Must Provide Good Jobs and Lower Vehicle Emissions

In the face of demands for better jobs and stronger health protections, some automakers claim they can’t improve job quality and lower vehicle emissions—but they have the resources to support middle-class-led economic growth and clean up their vehicle fleets.

How Project Labor Agreements and Community Workforce Agreements Are Good for the Biden Administration’s Investment Agenda

Project labor agreements and community workforce agreements are time-tested tools that can support good value and good jobs on projects funded by the new federal economic investments.

4 Job Quality Questions All Applicants for New Federal Funds Should Answer

States, cities, and private sector applicants can improve their chances of winning new federal support through the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and CHIPS and Science Act by demonstrating that their proposals will create good jobs for working people from all walks of life.

Public and Private Investments Are Poised To Transform Michigan

The historic home of the automotive industry, Michigan, stands to benefit from major infrastructure improvements and new plants for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, especially if it incorporates public input and builds worker power to grow the middle class.

How States and Unions Can Partner To Build the Public Sector Workforce

Partnering with unions to train public sector workers helps states uphold high-quality standards; connect with and recruit from local communities; and address the nation’s public sector hiring challenges.

5 Policy Priorities for the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization

The reauthorization of Federal Aviation Administration programs should provide dedicated funding for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes and airports, an increase in the Passenger Facility Charge, and decent wages and benefits for airport service workers.

Airport Service Workers Deserve Good Jobs

Raising pay and benefits for workers in federally supported airports will stabilize the air industry.

How To Support Good Jobs and Workforce Equity on Federal Infrastructure Projects

As funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act flow through federal and state project owners, agencies must build long-lasting capacity to provide equitable access to high-quality jobs.

How historic infrastructure investments can benefit women workers

Karla Walter partnered with Sharita Gruberg to break down the potential long-lasting benefits for women in manufacturing due to President Joe Biden's historic economic legislation.

How Biden’s American-Style Industrial Policy Will Create Quality Jobs

The Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are key pillars of a transformative industrial policy platform.

Prevailing Wages Can Build Good Jobs Into America’s Electric Vehicle Industry

By instituting prevailing wage policies, policymakers can ensure that the jobs they subsidize in one of America's newest industries offer fair wages and benefits.

4 Strategies to Create Good Jobs, Boost Equity With Federal Infrastructure Funds

Karla Walter outlines four strategies for states to ensure new federal infrastructure funds from the IIJA create good jobs and boost equity in local communities.

Proven State and Local Strategies To Create Good Jobs With IIJA Infrastructure Funds

This report outlines four proven ways to ensure that new federal infrastructure investments create good jobs, boost equity, and support good value.

When contractors pay bad wages, the public shoulders the burden

Karla Walter highlights how new regulations governing the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts will ensure that workers on construction projects receiving federal funding are paid fairly.

New Opportunities for the Biden-Harris Administration To Create Good Jobs for LGBTQI+ Workers

For decades, the U.S. economy has left LGBTQI+ individuals and their families behind, but the Biden-Harris administration can use its existing authority to uplift LGBTQI+ workers.

Congress must deliver on bipartisan infrastructure promises to workers with these two steps

Karla Walter writes about how Congress can create good infrastructure jobs for American workers.

Federal Contractors Are Violating Workers’ Rights and Harming the U.S. Government

New analysis from the Center for American Progress Action Fund finds that government contractors that break workplace laws frequently perform poorly and waste public resources.

Raising Wages and Narrowing Pay Gaps With Service Sector Prevailing Wage Laws

Prevailing wage laws for government service contracts can uplift wages and benefits; reduce racial pay gaps; and could have a range of positive effects on worker turnover, service quality, local budgets, and collective bargaining.

3 Major Wins for Workers in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will create pathways for all Americans into U.S.-based jobs that pay decent wages and benefits.

Video: How Unions Help Increase Wealth for All and Close Racial Wealth Gaps

Unions help narrow the gap between working families and the superrich.

How the U.S. Government Should Enforce Prevailing Wage Standards in All of Its Spending

As lawmakers debate economic recovery investments, they must ensure that all companies receiving government funding comply with job quality standards.

The Clean Economy Revolution Will Be Unionized

State and local progress can inform federal action to support high-quality, union jobs building the clean economy.

Higher Pay For Caregivers

Karla Walter explores how higher home care wages reduce economic hardship and improve recruitment and retention.

Service Contract Workers Deserve Good Jobs

President Biden is using his executive authority to build power and improve the lives of contract workers; he can do even more to raise standards for service workers.

COVID-19 Economic Recovery Investments Must Benefit American Workers

Policymakers can ensure that economic recovery spending benefits working Americans from all walks of life by adopting model job quality language.

Prevailing Wages: Frequently Asked Questions

Policymakers can use prevailing wages to set strong compensation rates across industries and occupations, benefitting workers and taxpayers alike.

A How-To Guide for Strengthening State and Local Prevailing Wage Laws

This report provides a road map for state and local policymakers working to create or strengthen prevailing wage laws, explains core features of prevailing wage legislation, and lifts up existing best practices from around the county.

Federal Contracting Doesn’t Go Far Enough To Protect American Workers

Author Karla Walter explains how the Biden administration can fix problems in the federal contracting system.

Electric Vehicles Should Be a Win for American Workers

Federal policymakers must invest in domestic electric vehicle production and deployment now in order to support high-quality American jobs, cut greenhouse gas emissions over the long term, and ensure national competitiveness in a key area of growth.

Getting Americans Back to Work and Good Jobs

Key steps must be taken to ensure that pandemic-response infrastructure investments create high-quality jobs for all working Americans.

Making Worker Protections Real During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Four key enforcement strategies will help ensure workers benefit from coronavirus relief measures.

Workers who risk their lives to run others’ errands should have basic benefits: Personal protection, a minimum wage, health insurance and more

Authors Allison Preiss and Karla Walter explain how cities and states can protect gig-economy workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Quality Workforce Partnerships

Key features of two quality workforce partnerships offer lessons on how workforce intermediaries and employers can design mutually beneficial relationships that connect working Americans—across racial and gender lines—to good jobs in the 21st century.

Building Workers’ Wealth in Cities and States

City and state policymakers across ideological divides can help raise standards for workers and boost sustainable economic growth by supporting employee ownership and broad-based profit-sharing.

City apprenticeship program raises standards for workers and taxpayers

Jennifer Grøndahl and Karla Walter discuss how Phoenix's new apprenticeship program is solving the city's increasing demand for work related to government services.

Public Sector Training Partnerships Build Power

Public sector training partnerships raise standards for workers and taxpayers—and they strengthen unions at the same time.

Bipartisan legislation would let fast-food companies off the hook for harming workers

Karla Walter outlines the potentially harmful effects of a bipartisan bill that would gut worker protections for employees in the fast-food industry.

Forced Arbitration: What You Need To Know

Forced arbitration agreements make it harder for workers and consumers to challenge predatory practices, wage theft, and discrimination.

Infrastructure Investment Must Create Good Jobs for All

Federal lawmakers can support America’s 21st-century competitiveness by ensuring that any federal infrastructure plan invests in good jobs.

American Workers Need Unions: 3 Steps to Strengthen the Federal Labor Law System

Karla Walter and David Madland explain how federal lawmakers can reverse the decadeslong trend of declining unionization rates.

States Must Act to Protect Workers From Exploitative Noncompete and No-Poach Agreements

State lawmakers can boost wages and encourage entrepreneurship by restricting noncompete and no-poaching agreements.

Building Progressive Infrastructure

Congress should pass a comprehensive infrastructure package to create jobs and raise wages, tackle the climate crisis, and improve access to opportunity and social equity.

The Freedom to Leave

State policymakers can boost workers’ pay and freedom in the economy by restricting noncompete agreements and banning no-poaching agreements.

10 Ways State and Local Officials Can Build Worker Power in 2019

Karla Walter and David Madland discuss how state and local leaders can empower workers.

New NLRB rule undermines American workers

Author Karla Walter explains how a new National Labor Relations Board rule threatens to to undermine joint-employer liability safeguards.

Corporations Have the Next Attack on Workers and Unions Ready to Go

Author Karla Walter discusses how members-only unions serve to divide workers and erode their ability to improve their work conditions.

State and Local Policies to Support Government Workers and Their Unions

In Janus v. AFSCME, the Supreme Court weakened the freedom of government workers to come together in strong unions; now, progressive state and local leaders must fight for public sector unions.

Advancing Ownership in Cutting-Edge Industries

The federal government can bring broad-based equity compensation and profit-sharing to frontline workers in the technology sector.

Ensuring Government Spending Creates Decent Jobs for Workers

Author Karla Walter urges pro-worker policymakers to harness the power of federal contracts, grants, loans, and tax expenditures to create good jobs.

President Trump’s Policies Are Hurting American Workers

Authors Karla Walter, David Madland, Alex Rowell, Caius Z. Willingham, and Malkie Wall describe how President Trump is rolling back the protections that ensure that Americans can be safe on the job, receive fair pay and benefits, save for retirement, access high-quality training programs, have a voice in their workplace, and not be discriminated against at work.

Raising Pay and Providing Benefits for Workers in a Disruptive Economy

State and local policymakers have the power to raise standards for gig economy workers and independent contractors throughout the U.S. economy.

The So-Called ‘Save Local Business Act’ Harms Workers and Small Businesses

Author Karla Walter describes why anti-worker lawmakers are advancing a bill to let large corporations off the hook when they infringe on workers’ rights, while leaving workers unprotected and small businesses holding the bag.

Service Contract Act and Davis-Bacon Act Under Attack

Authors David Madland and Karla Walter describe why workers, taxpayers, and high-road business would lose out if prevailing wage laws were to be repealed.

8 Ways the Trump Budget Threatens the Health and Safety of American Families

The Trump budget would endanger the health and safety of American families while giving tax cuts to millionaires.

Right to Work Would Harm All Americans

Authors Ryan Erickson and Karla Walter describe why a national right-to-work law would increase the power of corporations but harm the middle class, workers, and American democracy.

Congressional Vote Threatens Paychecks and Workplace Safety for Millions of Federal Contractors

Forthcoming vote is a test of President Trump’s commitment to the workers he pledged to represent.

Trump’s Federal Government Hiring Freeze Hurts Taxpayers and Workers

History demonstrates that a government hiring freeze will lead to more privatization of government services—a move that will cost taxpayers money and make American jobs worse.

5 Reasons Why the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Regulations Will Raise Standards for Workers, Taxpayers, and Businesses

Final regulations on President Barack Obama's Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces executive order will raise standards for workers, ensure that taxpayers receive good value for their investment, and allow the vast majority of contractors that obey workplace laws to compete on an even playing field.

Companies Have Already Adopted the Best Practices of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order

Reporting requirements in the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order are already best practices used by large U.S. Department of Defense contractors.

Opponents of the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order Claim Cost Concerns in a Last Ditch Effort to Delay Final Implementation

The final regulations will promise to help raise standards for American workers, ensure that taxpayers receive good value, and allow law-abiding businesses to compete on an even playing field.

Contracting that Works

State and local governments can boost job standards across our economy; ensure that high-road business can compete on an even playing field; and provide taxpayers with good value by adopting the government contracting practices identified in this report.

Mitigating Risk to Maximize the Benefits of Employee Ownership

Addressing risk factors involved in employee ownership will ensure that more workers can benefit from its positive effects.

Capitalism for Everyone

Policymakers can help workers, businesses, and investors do better by encouraging companies to adopt broad-based profit-sharing programs.

Raising New York’s Fast-Food Wages Would Be Good for Workers, Taxpayers, and the Economy

Karla Walter, Associate Director of the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, testifies before the New York State Fast Food Wage Board.

Right-to-Work Takes Us in the Wrong Direction

State and local governments are moving to enact right-to-work laws that harm all workers, regardless of union status, and do not result in the job growth promised by proponents. Policymakers can help working families by pursuing policies to uphold workers’ ability to join together in unions.

Top 5 Facts About the ‘Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces’ Executive Order

On Thursday, two subcommittees of the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee will jointly debate President Barack Obama’s most recent contracting executive order. The order helps fix a broken system and protects taxpayers, law-abiding businesses, and millions of American workers.

Executive Order Protects Workers and Supports Law-Abiding Contractors

President Barack Obama’s latest executive order adopts best practices from the public and private sectors that will protect workers and save taxpayer dollars.

President Obama Should Use the State of the Union to Hold Accountable Federal Contractors that Harm Workers and Shortchange Taxpayers

The president can adopt responsible contracting reforms through executive action to ensure that only responsible, law-abiding companies receive government contracts.

Union Membership Remained Steady in 2013, But Conservative Attacks Threaten to Weaken Organized Labor

Policies that undermine unionization ultimately threaten the strength and vitality of America’s middle class.

At Our Expense: Federal Contractors that Harm Workers Also Shortchange Taxpayers

A Center for American Progress Action Fund study finds that one in four government contractors committing egregious workplace violations also provide bad value for the government.

Infographic: Raising the Minimum Wage

This infographic shows how the California minimum-wage increase will affect the state’s working families.

Unions Make the Middle Class

The Center for American Progress Action Fund produced a video series documenting what is at stake in three real stories of how unions make the middle class.

Top 6 Policies to Help the Middle Class that Won’t Cost Taxpayers a Penny

There are a number of things that policymakers can do to strengthen the middle class that won't require any additional expenditures.

Growing the Wealth

Inclusive capitalism, when implemented correctly, can begin to address some of the fundamental problems with our economy while simultaneously improving workers’ well-being and the performance of businesses.