Monica Nickelsburg
Labor & Economy Reporter
About
Monica Nickelsburg covers labor, business, and the local economy. Her reporting focuses on how economic policies, the cost of living, technology, and the changing nature of work affect everyday people living in the Pacific Northwest.
Monica came to KUOW in 2023. Before that, she spent six years covering the intersection of technology and politics for GeekWire and worked as a digital producer for The Week.
Monica grew up in Los Angeles and got her B.A. in Journalism and History from New York University before landing in Seattle.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Podcasts
Stories
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Is AI the new electricity?
Microsoft's Brad Smith says the AI revolution could be bigger than the Internet, bigger than mobile, and that the best comparison is the advent of electricity. So, what does it mean for all of us?
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Could tariffs bring back the lumberjack?
President Trump wants to reduce foreign competition and increase U.S. logging to bring back lumber jobs. Could Trump's strategy revive the timber industry in the Northwest? We went to a sawmill in the foothills of Mt. Rainier to find out.
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Microsoft launches $4 billion AI reskilling institute
Microsoft unveiled a new initiative Wednesday that's intended to bring artificial intelligence skills to millions of people around the world.
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Layoffs, lost faith, and 'cruel optimism' in tech
Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs leaves even more tech workers in Washington without a job – and with a new worldview. What does it mean for an industry that was once seen as the last bastion of the American Dream?
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Seattle's to do list isn't penciling out
The Trump administration has used executive orders to cut funding for cities that don’t cooperate with its immigration enforcement agenda. So how does Seattle spend its federal money? And if that money goes away, what can we do to replace it?
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How much does it cost to live comfortably in Seattle?
On today's episode, we ask more than 300 Seattleites: How much money would it really take to live comfortably in this city of millionaires? And if you can't make enough, what can you do to feel more comfortable here?
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Paycheck to paycheck on $200k? What it really costs to live comfortably in Seattle
More than 300 people who participated in a KUOW survey asking what annual salary it would take for their households to live comfortably in the Seattle region. A whopping 71% said they would need at least six figures.
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Microsoft reportedly planning more mass layoffs
The layoffs are expected as part of a reorganization of Microsoft's sales department.
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A 'perfect' season for Washington's sweet cherries turns sour because of deportation fears
It was supposed to be a banner year for Pacific Northwest cherries. Cherry production is estimated to be about 10% above last year’s, the fruit is high quality, and California’s shorter-than-usual season meant cherry pickers would be free to migrate north to bring in the crop. The only problem? They never showed up.
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ICE fears turn sweet cherry season sour
To supply the world with cherries, Washington farmers need a lot of workers to show up for a very short harvesting window. Usually they do, but not this year. Today, how a culture of fear is pushing Washington cherry growers to the brink.
