It is time to assess studies forecasting what would happen if Indiana repealed its prevailing wage law.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?”
A new report released by the Illinois Policy Institute on prevailing wage is factually inaccurate. Here’s why.
Continue reading “The Illinois Policy Institute Receives a Failing Grade on Prevailing Wage”
A recent Illinois Policy Institute article doesn’t tell a complete story. Continue reading “3 Simple Responses If You See a Post Claiming that 60,000+ Public Sector Workers in Illinois Make $100,000+”
With the State of Illinois finally having a new budget for the first time in two years, the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute evaluated the economic research on policy measures currently under consideration by state lawmakers.
The full report is available here: Public Policies That Grow the Illinois Economy: An Evidence-Based Review of the Current Debate. Continue reading “Education and Infrastructure Grow the Economy. Other Proposals Being Debated in Illinois Don’t.”
“Right-to-work” does NOT increase union membership.
Right-to-Work Laws Reduce Union Membership
The movement to implement “right-to-work” (RTW) legislation has accelerated over recent years. Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and West Virginia recently become “right-to-work” states. Missouri and Kentucky followed in 2017. Today, 28 states have “right-to-work” laws.
One of the main policy changes contributing to the decline of unionization across the United States is the ratification of “right-to-work” legislation. From 2015 to 2016, union membership in RTW states declined by over 293,000 members. Union membership declined in 20 of the 26 states (77%) with RTW laws.
A new report by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute finds that prevailing wage repeal cannot result in “44 percent savings” in Wisconsin. Read More: Some Opponents of Prevailing Wage Are Really Bad at Math Continue reading Some Opponents of Prevailing Wage Are Really Bad at Math
A new report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) finds no evidence for the assertion that prevailing wage “inflates” construction worker wages in Illinois. In fact, after analyzing counties along Illinois’ border, the report finds that a higher prevailing wage for operating engineers has no statistical impact on employment or turnover for men working in road construction. Instead, local market conditions are by far the primary drivers of public construction outcomes. Continue reading “Prevailing Wage Is the Local Market Rate in Illinois”
A new Economic Commentary by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute details how prevailing wage is the local market rate in Winnebago County. Continue reading “Five Reasons Why Prevailing Wage Works in Winnebago County”
The retailer’s discount is a generous corporate welfare program that Illinois can no longer afford. A new report [PDF] finds that Illinois currently dishes out $142 million per year in subsidies to retailers through it 1.75 percent retailer’s discount rate.
Continue reading “The Retailer’s Discount Costs Illinois Taxpayers Over $100 Million a Year”
The Wisconsin State Journal recently debunked claims that a road flagger earning the state’s prevailing wage takes home over $100,000 a year. Source: Wisconsin State Journal: “$100k A Year for Road Flaggers” Claim is Nonsense Continue reading Wisconsin State Journal: “$100k A Year for Road Flaggers” Claim is Nonsense
A case study from Southern Indiana demonstrates how weakening prevailing wage negatively impacts local contractors and local workers.
Continue reading “Weakening Prevailing Wage Hurts Local Contractors”
States with higher minimum wages have added more jobs over the past 12 months. That’s the conclusion of a new Economic Commentary [PDF] released by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, which evaluates recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. … Continue reading States with Higher Minimum Wages Added More Jobs Over the Past Year
The Illinois Update 