Unionized Construction Experiences Significantly Fewer Violations Across Nine Midwestern States La Grange, IL:  An analysis of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections at construction jobsites has revealed that unionized construction workers face 34% fewer health and safety violations than … Continue reading STUDY:  Unionized Construction Offers Superior Health and Safety Outcomes

Researchers say investment in joint labor-management (union) programs is driving parity  La Grange, IL: Graduates of registered apprenticeship programs in Wisconsin’s construction industry achieve near wage parity with workers that have four-year college degrees, according to a new study by … Continue reading Study: Union Construction Apprenticeships in Wisconsin Rival Bachelor’s Degrees on Key Economic and Diversity Metrics

La Grange, IL:  A new national study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) has found that on average, graduates of joint labor-management (union) apprenticeship programs in the construction industry are able to achieve near wage and benefits parity with … Continue reading Study: Union Construction Apprenticeships Rival Bachelor’s Degrees on Key Economic and Social Metrics

Union-affiliated programs exceed nonunion alternatives on wages, diversity, and graduation rates La Grange, IL: Joint labor-management (union) apprenticeship programs in Iowa’s construction industry are delivering outcomes that rival many colleges in the state, according to a new study by the … Continue reading Study: Iowa Construction Apprenticeships Rival Colleges on Key Metrics

View this article online as a PDF here.

This week, the Illinois General Assembly passed landmark clean energy legislation. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB 2408) is a historic law that combats climate change, creates middle-class careers in the clean energy sector, improves public health, and supports disadvantaged communities. The bipartisan legislation overwhelmingly passed by a vote of 83-33 in the Illinois House of Representatives (72% support) and 37-17 in the Illinois Senate (69% support). Governor Pritzker signed the bill into law on September 15, 2021.

Iowa law allows certain highway projects to bypass federal construction rules Chicago: As congressional leaders in both parties consider trillions of dollars in new infrastructure investment, a new report from the Midwest Economic Policy Institute finds that state-level accounting schemes … Continue reading New Study: State-Level “Federal-Aid Swap” Programs Hurt Workers and Fail to Save Money on Infrastructure

Chicago:  Minnesota’s unionized construction sector is no more costly than its non-union alternative—though it produces higher wages, greater equality, safer worksites, and less reliance on social assistance while training more than 90% of the state’s skilled trade apprentices according to … Continue reading Study: Union Construction Delivers Superior Value for Minnesota Workers, Economy, and Taxpayers—Without Increasing Project Costs

Study Comes as Biden Administration and Illinois Lawmakers Work to Strengthen Collective Bargaining La Grange, IL: States that have enacted so-called “right-to-work” laws underperform Illinois on a range of core economic metrics—including wages, income growth, workforce productivity, poverty, and workplace … Continue reading Illinois Outperforms “Right-to-Work” States on Key Economic Metrics

July 2021 Update: This position has been filled. For full details and to apply, click here: ILEPI Research Associate. The Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) is hiring! ILEPI seeks one (1) qualified candidate to employ as a full-time Research Associate. The duties … Continue reading ILEPI is Hiring a Research Associate

View this article online as a PDF here. A May 6, 2021 article by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy titled “Do Construction Wages Fall after Ending a Prevailing Wage Mandate?” claims that the repeal of Indiana’s prevailing wage law, … Continue reading Blue-Collar Construction Worker Wages Fell After Indiana Repealed Its Prevailing Wage Law

Child Care Burdens Linked with Growing Economic and Career Hardships for Women Chicago:  A new survey of more than 1,000 working mothers who were employed in March 2020 finds that child care burdens associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have deepened … Continue reading Survey: Nearly Half of Illinois’ Working Mothers Lost Jobs or Are Working Fewer Hours One Year Into Pandemic