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

Illinois Lawmakers Place Bi-Partisan Measure to Strengthen Collective Bargaining on 2022 Ballot 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 safety—according … Continue reading Workers’ Rights Amendment: Illinois Outperforms “Right-to-Work” States

The May 2021 Edition of ILEPI’s newsletter, Illinois Insights, has been released. This edition focuses COVID-19’s impact on working mothers and women. Nearly half of Illinois’ working mothers lost jobs or are working fewer hours due to the pandemic. Transportation revenues have … Continue reading Illinois Insights – May 2021 Edition

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

Investing in infrastructure creates jobs and boosts the economy. The nation’s infrastructure has been underfunded for far too long, with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) giving U.S. infrastructure a “C-” grade. ASCE estimates that the United States needs … Continue reading Infrastructure Week 2021: Follow Illinois’ Lead with the American Jobs Plan

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

Clean Energy Projects Can Reflect Local Standards of Compensation without Impacting Installation Costs

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Continue reading “STUDY: Climate Union Jobs Act Would Deliver Middle-Class Jobs in Clean Energy”

One Year In, Fuel Consumption and Transit Ridership Continue to Lag Pre-Pandemic Levels

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Continue reading “Study: COVID-19 Has Cost Illinois Over $1 Billion in Transportation Revenues”

Illinois Legislators expected to announce new reform proposal this week 

Continue reading “Report: Illinois Transportation Planning Lags Neighboring States in Project Selection, Transparency, and Oversight Metrics”

Pandemic’s “essential” workers face especially steep pay penalties in RTW states

Continue reading “National Study Says So-called “Right to Work” States Have Worse Economic, Health, Social, and Civic Outcomes”