CEO pay raises continued to outpace worker wages dramatically in 2025, highlighting a widening gap as living costs climb, Fast Company writes.  According to a new Oxfam analysis, the top 1,500 CEOs saw their pay rise 11% in real terms, while average worker wages increased just 0.5%—meaning execu tive compensation grew about 20 times faster. In the U.S., the disparity was even more pronounced. The report comes as households face higher costs for essentials like food and gasoline, intensifying affordability pressures. Longer-term trends show the divide deepening: CEO pay has risen sharply since 2019, while real worker wages have declined. At the same time, billionaire wealth is accelerating, driven in part by dividends and corporate profits.  Oxfam argues the imbalance reflects a system where workers are more productive but receive a smaller share of the value they generate.  The findings add fuel to ongoing debates over wage policy, corporate governance and income inequality, particularly as policymakers weigh proposals around minimum wage increases, taxation and limits on executive compensation. Fast Company has the full story.  ...read more read less