Work and Economy

July 3, 2015 - This week the Obama administration released a proposed rule to expand eligibility for overtime pay to 5 million more Americans — and workers in the South would benefit the most.

July 3, 2015 - Earlier this year the UNC Board of Governors decided to close the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the UNC School of Law. This week the school launched the N.C. Poverty Research Fund to continue the fight against economic injustice in the state.

July 2, 2015 - A new interactive map from the Urban Institute shows patterns of affluence across the country. Southern metro areas show clear clusters of affluence, indicating that resources and opportunities are concentrated in certain areas.

June 19, 2015 - In the latest installment of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation's "Southern Voices" oral history project, we hear from Southern leaders organizing for affordable housing.

June 12, 2015 - An employee at a Sonic Drive-In in North Carolina, Anna Swauger traveled to Detroit last week for the second annual Fast Food Worker Convention. She writes about her experience — and why she believes the movement she helps lead will win.

June 11, 2015 - A new paper from the NAACP and the think tank Demos looks at how the retail industry contributes to racial inequality by failing to meet the needs of black and Latino workers — a big concern for the South's retail-intensive economy.

May 12, 2015 - The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation has launched a "Southern Voices" oral history project to capture the stories of Southern leaders working for social and economic justice. This installment focuses on how organizations in the region are investing in ambitious plans to create diverse, sustainable economic engines.