ADVANCING WORKER’S STATE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS | Illinois as a Model

In 2022 Illinois became the fifth state to pass a Constitutional Amendment protecting the rights of workers. Unlike other states, however, Illinois voters passed a ballot measure to create what is arguably the strongest constitutional provisions protecting collective bargaining in the country. PMCR presents two thought pieces on the Amendment.  The first paper, by Professor … Read more

ILLINOIS LABOR ACTION REPORT | 2021-2023

Welcome to our first fact sheet documenting strikes by union and nonunion workers across Illinois. These data are derived from the Labor Action Tracker, a project started in 2021 that comprehensively documents strike activity in the United States. As of January 2024, the Labor Action Tracker is a joint project between Cornell University’s School of … Read more

EFFECTS OF THE EXPANDED CHILD TAX CREDIT ON EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES | Evidence from the Midwest and Implications for Illinois

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) underwent a significant transformation under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP-CTC) from July to December 2021, becoming a near-universal child allowance. The expanded CTC represented a significant milestone in US social policy, included increasing the maximum annual benefit size, making the benefit fully refundable, and converting the annual payment to … Read more

EXAMINING ILLINOIS WAGE GAPS 2018-2022 | Gender and Race Differences Matter

Cover of the wage gap report.

Current wage equity issues exist in Illinois, especially among women, Black, andHispanic workers. Policymakers must address gender/racial wage gap issues to enhance thestate’s overall social equity and inclusiveness. To help policymakers achieve this goal, this Projectfor Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) report based on 2018-2022 data from the American CommunitySurvey (ACS) reveals several key findings about … Read more

AI AND THE FUTURE OF WORK IN ILLINOIS | An Assessment of Workers at Risk by Automated Technologies

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and other automating technologies generates concerns among scholars, policymakers, and workers’ representatives. AI is expected to bring profound transformations to the workplace, and preparing for these changes will facilitate a smoother transition into the future. In 2022, the Illinois Task Force on the Future of Work produced a … Read more