What the Labor Movement Could Do If the Supreme Court Rules Against Fair Share Fees in Janus
How might the U.S. labor movement respond if the Supreme Court strikes down Abood and rules against fair share fees? ILEPI’s Frank Manzo IV takes a look.
Author: Frank Manzo IV
Frank Manzo IV, MPP is the Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. He earned a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The Impending Effects of the Janus Case on Public Sector Workers
A new report finds that a Janus decision against fair share fees would lower public sector worker earnings and have negative impacts on the U.S. economy. According to the Wall Street Journal, the “study says the expected outcome of the Janus case will shrink public-sector labor unions in 23 states.”
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ILEPI Testimony on a Progressive Income Tax Before the Illinois House
On Wednesday, May 2, the Illinois House Revenue & Finance Committee held a hearing on the possibility of a progressive income tax in Illinois. Frank Manzo IV, MPP, Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) provided a brief testimony. Here is what he said. Continue reading “ILEPI Testimony on a Progressive Income Tax Before the Illinois House”
STUDY: Expected Supreme Court Decision Against Public Sector Unions Would Harm Economy
Janus ruling could affect wages for 5 million workers and shrink U.S. economy by up to $33 billion Continue reading “STUDY: Expected Supreme Court Decision Against Public Sector Unions Would Harm Economy”
Illinois House Testimonies on the Consequences of Repealing Prevailing Wage
On Tuesday, February 27, the Labor and Commerce Committee in the Illinois House held a hearing titled “Impacts of Repealing the Prevailing Wage.” Frank Manzo IV, MPP, Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI); Robert Bruno, Ph.D., Director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois; and Kevin Duncan, Ph.D., Professor of Economics at Colorado State University-Pueblo submitted testimonies.
The following article provides condensed versions of those testimonies.
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NEW STUDY: Prevailing Wage Laws Close Income Gaps for African Americans in Construction
Laws help grow incomes across the racial spectrum, and help more workers access middle class La Grange: Prevailing wage laws reduce income inequality between African-American and white construction workers by as much as 53% and help more blue-collar workers reach … Continue reading NEW STUDY: Prevailing Wage Laws Close Income Gaps for African Americans in Construction
Fact Check: Which Policy Wonks Should You Trust on Prevailing Wage?
It is time to assess studies forecasting what would happen if Indiana repealed its prevailing wage law. A Ph.D. economist who has studied prevailing wage for 24 years was 100% accurate. A partisan ideologue was only 14% correct. Trust the expert, not the rhetoric. Continue reading “Fact Check: Which Policy Wonks Should You Trust on Prevailing Wage?”
Unions Improve Public Budgets and Increase Voter Turnout
Two January 2018 working papers find that unions have important social impacts in America. The first finds that union members individually contribute about $1,300 more per year to public budgets than non-union workers. The second finds that so-called “right-to-work” laws reduce voter turnout by 2-3 percentage points because working-class Americans are less likely to be contacted through union get-out-the-vote efforts. These studies have important policy implications. Continue reading “Unions Improve Public Budgets and Increase Voter Turnout”
Look What Happened When Prevailing Wage Was Repealed in Indiana
The Illinois Prevailing Wage Act is good for workers, businesses, and families in Illinois. For proof, all we have to do is look to our neighbors in Indiana, where prevailing wage was repealed in July 2015.
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Union Membership Increased in Illinois, Fell in Neighboring States Last Year
Illinois added 15,000 union members in 2017 while its five bordering states lost 104,000 union members. Continue reading “Union Membership Increased in Illinois, Fell in Neighboring States Last Year”
The Illinois Policy Institute Receives a Failing Grade on Prevailing Wage
A new report released by the Illinois Policy Institute on prevailing wage is factually inaccurate. Here’s why.
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Eliminating the Community Development Block Grant Program Would Hurt the Illinois Economy
Eliminating the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program would directly impact more than 464,000 people in Illinois; state and local governments would lose access to $116 million in federal funding. Continue reading “Eliminating the Community Development Block Grant Program Would Hurt the Illinois Economy”
