Fixing broken labour markets

This panel discussion will explore labour market challenges facing both the UK and US today. You will hear from labour market experts from both sides of the Atlantic, incluing world-leading minimum wage expert Professor Arin Dube, author of new book The Wage Standard, and Professor Stephen Machin (LSE). 

This event is hosted by the Resolution Foundation and co-organised with the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics and Political Science. 

No two labour markets are alike. But in recent years the UK and the UK have rhymed. Both have seen decent pay growth for the lowest earners, though by different routes: a rising minimum wage in the UK, and a tight post-pandemic labour market in the US. Both have disappointed in the middle: the US has generated impressive productivity gains but not shared them with typical workers, while, until very recently, the UK hasn’t had any productivity gains to share. And yet they differ sharply on jobs: the US remains an employment laggard among 25-54 year olds, while the UK does far better on prime-age employment, even as unemployment has risen to around 5 per cent.

How should we approach the labour market challenges facing the US and UK? What are the roles of policymakers, labour market instructions and business in building labour markets that benefit everyone? And are there lessons that each country can take from each other, both in terms of policy successes and failures and wider trends to watch out for?

This event also celebrates the launch of Professor Arin Dube's new book, The Wage Standard. 

• Arin Dube, Provost Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and author of The Wage Standard. 
• Stephen Machin, Director of the Centre for Economic Performance and Professor of Economics, LSE.
• Chaired by Ruth Curtice, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation.

All welcome

Those interested in addressing labour market challenges and building labour markets to benefit everyone. 

Register to attend in-person by 22 October 2026.