Analysis of Port of Seattle Projects Shows PLAs Delivering Better Outcomes than Non-PLA Alternatives La Grange, IL: A first-of-its-kind analysis of construction projects from the Port of Seattle between 2016 and 2023—including airports and seaports—shows that project labor agreements (PLAs) … Continue reading Study Shows that Project Labor Agreements Promote Bid Competition, Control Costs, and Expand Pathways to Skilled Construction Careers

Efforts to Scale Back Project Could Undermine Billions in Projected Long-Term Economic Benefits La Grange, IL: As the City of Chicago and partner airlines negotiate over the future of the O’Hare 21 modernization program, a new report by the nonpartisan … Continue reading STUDY: Completing O’Hare Modernization Could Grow Economy Nearly $20 Billion and Create Almost 100K Jobs

34% say they plan to leave profession in next 12 months, but most would stay if Illinois enacted a law mandating staffing ratios for Registered Nurses La Grange, IL: A systemic staffing crisis marked by widespread labor shortages continues to … Continue reading AFTER COVID, SURVEY SHOWS NURSING PROFESSION REMAINS IN CRISIS IN ILLINOIS

HB 3940 reformed system that imposed sub-market pay rates on auto dealers and technicians performing repairs on vehicles under warranty Chicago, IL: A 2022 law that eliminated a two-tiered compensation system for certified auto mechanics at Illinois’ car dealerships has … Continue reading STUDY: Bipartisan Auto Repair Reform Law Has Improved Job Quality for Skilled Mechanics Boosted Economy, and Strengthened Public Budgets

Chicago, IL: A first-of-its-kind study on the effects of enacting a state-level Child Tax Credit (CTC) in Illinois finds that the policy would reduce child poverty, directly affect a majority of Illinois children, deliver significant income tax cuts to eligible … Continue reading STUDY: Illinois Child Tax Credit Would Reduce Child Poverty, Cut Taxes for Families with Children, and Grow the State’s Economy

Support Included Majorities of Democrats and Republicans; Members Think Amendment Will Promote High-Quality Jobs in Illinois Chicago, IL: Nine-in-ten union members voted in favor of the Workers’ Rights Amendment last year, including bipartisan majorities of Democratic and Republican members—according to … Continue reading SURVEY: 88% of Illinois’ Union Members Voted Yes on Workers’ Rights Amendment Last Year

On October 25, 2023, the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) posted a critique of A Decade of Illinois’ Migration Patterns: Providing Demographic, Geographic, and Socioeconomic Context, a new study released jointly by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) and the Project … Continue reading Why Critiques of the ILEPI-PMCR Migration Study Are Unfounded

Illinois Becoming More Urban, Higher Paid, and Less Reliant on Government Assistance Chicago, IL: An analysis of Current Population Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Illinois Department of Revenue data shows that Illinois is NOT suffering the mass … Continue reading STUDY: Migration Trends Show Stability in Illinois Population and Growth in Its Tax Base

Chicago, IL: Workers at Illinois’ public universities are earning between 14% and 25% less than their counterparts employed directly by state government agencies, according to a first-of-its-kind study released by the Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) at the University … Continue reading STUDY: Workers at Illinois’ Public Universities Earn Significantly Less than Peers in State Government