The number of auto workers on strike jumped to 25,000 across 21 states Friday, with new GM and Ford plants going idle.
Mike Wilkinson
Mike has been a reporter for Bridge Michigan since 2013 and focuses on data-assisted reporting, often finding stories by analyzing maps and data sets and has created Bridge's dashboards on COVID-19, the state's economy and Michigan's elections. He held similar positions at The Detroit News and The Blade of Toledo. A native of Michigan, Mike grew up in Macomb County, graduated from the University of Michigan and started his reporting career in New Baltimore before his career took him to Illinois, Tennessee and Ohio. You can reach him at mwilkinson@bridgemi.com
Posted inQuality of Life
That bump in pay? Poof — Michigan income gains erased by high inflation
From 2019 to 2022, median household income in Michigan rose $7,400 — but high inflation turned that gain into an $1,800 drop in buying power and lowered the state’s median household income to 37th in the nation.
Posted inBusiness Watch
By the numbers: How many UAW members in Michigan, how much would strike cost
A walkout would hit Michigan hard. The state employs nearly 300,000 auto workers at 12 assembly plants, 23 parts plants and 96 suppliers.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan has more job openings than workers. Are retirees the answer?
In Roscommon County, fewer than 4 in 10 adults are in the workforce. The northern Michigan vacation haven is symptomatic of a statewide worker shortage crisis that has some looking for creative solutions.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
COVID hospitalizations surge in Michigan. Doctors remain cautiously optimistic
Confirmed cases and hospitalizations are on the rise yet again, but deaths remain low because of better treatments. Also, symptoms in this latest wave seem mild.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan school M-STEP results remain down since pandemic, but some gains
Results from the spring standardized test, released Thursday, show continuing challenges after three years of COVID disruptions. But there were also a few gains from the previous year. See how your school district fared.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer expands emergency aid to 3 more Michigan counties with storm damage
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared states of emergency in Eaton, Ingham and Livingston counties in the wake of last week’s storms. South Lyon is also eligible for aid.
Posted inMichigan Government
Storms, tornadoes linked to 5 deaths and widespread power outages
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an emergency declaration to provide state aid to Wayne and Monroe counties, where at least two tornadoes touched down.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan lawmakers use word games to skirt law, spend billions on pet projects
The Michigan Constitution requires a super-majority to spend money on local projects, so lawmakers get creative to steer money to parks, roads, museums and hyper-local projects.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
New COVID variant confirmed in Michigan. What to know about BA.2.86
A Washtenaw County resident is the first in Michigan with a confirmed case of BA.2.86, a variant that worries doctors because of mutations that possibly could make it resistant to existing vaccines.