The Plight of Low-Wage Workers In a Global Economy

Are low-wage workers the victims of globalization? Many American workers are struggling to get ahead in a world marketplace that puts a growing premium on education and skills. Disagreements over the role of globalization in causing their problems have overshadowed much-needed discussion about possible remedies.

To offer an in-depth look at low-wage American workers in the global marketplace, Brookings convenes a panel of leading experts to answer these critical questions:

• Are conditions improving for low-wage Americans or are many still mired at the bottom?
• Is globalization central or circumstantial to their situation?
• Would trade policy responses offer promise or pitfalls?
• What solutions make sense?