All Access

All-Access Weekly Digest

Houston

Houston Members

Houston Alerts

blue

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Houston.

Axios Houston Thought Bubble

Axios Houston

Dallas

Axios Dallas

Data: Oxfam America; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

Texas is practically the worst state for workers, according to a new study by Oxfam America.

Driving the news: States were ranked on wages, worker protections and employees' ability to unionize.

Oregon is the best state for workers, and North Carolina is the worst.

Details: The report points to wages lagging inflation, COVID-19 and several states' abortion restrictions as causes for more perilous work conditions.

Texas earned a zero for its right-to-organize score because it's a right-to-work state and doesn't require collective bargaining for public workers, among other factors.

The big picture: The study comes on the heels of a new Gallup poll that says 71% of Americans support labor unions, the highest percentage since 1965.

Yes, but: Houston workers continue to organize, with two new unions formed in the last few weeks. 

Workers at the Starbucks in Montrose successfully unionized after a months-long campaign, the first shop in Houston to do so. 

Employees at Republic National Distributing Co. in Houston also won a certification election this month, according to the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation.

Texas is good for business but bad for workers

Texas is practically the worst state for workers, according to a new study by OxFam.

Texas is practically the worst state for workers, according to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new study by Oxfam America" data-vars-click-url="https://link.axios.com/click/28928600.70/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub3hmYW1hbWVyaWNhLm9yZy9leHBsb3JlL2NvdW50cmllcy91bml0ZWQtc3RhdGVzL3BvdmVydHktaW4tdGhlLXVzL2Jlc3Qtc3RhdGVzLXRvLXdvcmstMjAyMi8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/61571d580bb18027b8e26002B46212f7d" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://link.axios.com/click/28928600.70/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub3hmYW1hbWVyaWNhLm9yZy9leHBsb3JlL2NvdW50cmllcy91bml0ZWQtc3RhdGVzL3BvdmVydHktaW4tdGhlLXVzL2Jlc3Qtc3RhdGVzLXRvLXdvcmstMjAyMi8_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXNlbmR0b19sb2NhbG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJ0ZXN0JnN0cmVhbT10b3A/61571d580bb18027b8e26002B46212f7d" target="_blank">new study by Oxfam America</a>.Driving the news: States were ranked on wages, worker protections and employees&#x27; ability to unionize.

Tasha Tsiaperas

Featured stories

Texas is good for business but bad for workers