CRER director and chief economist Howard Wall was featured in a story on News Channel 9 about wage increases in Tennessee. He explained that “For people who see their wages rising, as long as it’s above, say, two and a half, 2.3% then they’ll have seen an increase in their real wages.”
“Government workers don’t always see their wages go up with inflation. It kind of goes in fits and starts, so they might eventually catch up. But, you know, they go with yearly or long contracts, so they might not be exactly keeping up with inflation,” Wall said.
Wall also “emphasized the uncertainty surrounding tariffs in Washington, D.C., which could impact inflation and wage growth.”