Worst State For Workers
North Carolina Ranks Last Among All States for Workers in New Report
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Oxfam’s index weights wage policies and worker-protection policies at 35% each, while rights to organize account for the remaining 30% of the score.
2
North Carolina received category scores of 8.17 for wage policies, 5.83 for worker protections and 0.0 for the right to organize, illustrating that its overall score was driven particularly low by organizing rights.
3
Oxfam gave zero points for rights to organize to six Southern states: North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi.
4
South Carolina ranked 48th with an overall score of 9.5; its scores were 8.82 for wage protections, 18.33 for worker protections and 0 for organizing rights. Oxfam said the state’s $7.25 minimum wage represents just 19% of the cost of living for a family of four.
5
Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council President Chris Barrett said Labor Day reflects both how far workers have come and “how far we have to go,” adding that many workers do not have “a wonderful place to go home to.”
North Carolina ranks dead last for workers in Oxfam's 2026 Best States to Work Index, scoring just 4.90 out of 100 points. The state has kept its $7.25 minimum wage frozen since 2009 and does not require paid sick or family leave under state law, according to Hoodline.
The poor showing contradicts North Carolina's strong business reputation: CNBC ranked it the nation's second-best state for business in 2026. Yet the state placed 35th for cost of living and 34th for quality of life, 828 News NOW reported.
Why North Carolina Failed on Worker Rights
Oxfam's index weighs three factors equally: wage policies (35%), worker protections (35%), and organizing rights (30%). North Carolina scored 8.17 on wages, 5.83 on protections, but earned zero points for the right to organize, Hoodline reported. That zero crushed its overall ranking.
Six Southern states received zero organizing points: North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi. Fox Carolina noted that South Carolina ranked 48th overall with a score of 9.5, while Georgia placed 46th. South Carolina's $7.25 wage is just 19% of living costs for a family of four.
A Contradiction Between Business and Worker Conditions
North Carolina's drop to second place in business rankings—down from first in 2025—came despite its weak worker policies. CNBC highlighted business friendliness, but My Fox 8 found the state ranks among the nation's worst for those actually working there. The state has held the bottom spot for seven straight years in Oxfam's worker index.
Labor Leaders Launch Voter Push Ahead of Elections
At Charlotte's Labor Day events, union leaders responded by launching a statewide voter-mobilization effort. They plan door-to-door canvassing before November's midterm elections. Charlotte-Metrolina Labor Council President Chris Barrett said Labor Day shows both progress and the long road ahead: many workers lack "a wonderful place to go home to," My Fox 8 reported.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
14
Articles
11
Reach
25
A
AnonymousAuthor
