Laws establishing market-rate wage floor delivering best outcomes for People of Color La Grange, IL: In the first ever national study on the application of prevailing wage laws outside the construction industry, researchers from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) … Continue reading STUDY: Prevailing Wages on Service Contracts Boost Incomes, Health Insurance Coverage, and Job Stability for Custodians

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

Springfield acts to put I-290 in the spotlight under SJR31 La Grange:  A multi-modal infrastructure proposal that would modernize the 13-mile stretch of I-290 between I-94 and the I-88/294 interchange would create more than 22,000 jobs, reduce traffic congestion by … Continue reading NEW STUDY Says I-290 Improvements would Deliver Best Economic, Equity, Traffic Outcomes for Chicago Metro Region

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

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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.

Continue reading “Illinois Passed the Most Pro-Worker, Pro-Climate Law in the United States”

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

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