Indiana’s Common Construction Wage (CCW) promotes positive labor market outcomes for both construction workers and contractors. … Ultimately, the Common Construction Wage for publicly-assisted construction projects provides substantial economic benefits for workers, contractors, and the overall Indiana economy. The Common Construction Wage supports a dynamic, high-road economy that promotes worker productivity and improves public safety.
By Report Type: Policy Brief
The State of the Unions 2014: A Profile of Unionization in Chicago, in Illinois, and in America
Since 2003, unionization has declined in Illinois, in the Chicago region, and in America. There areapproximately 116,000 fewer union members in Illinois today than there were in 2003, contributing to the 1.26 million drop in union workers across the nation over that time. Declining union membership has primarily been the result of decreases in male […]
Minimum Wage, Maximum Benefit
The Impact of Raising Illinois’ Minimum Wage to $10.00: A 21.2-percent minimum wage hike in Illinois would Increase labor income by $1.9 to $2.3 billion for intended beneficiaries and by $5.4 to $7.2 billion for all workers; Cause either a small drop or small gain in employment (between -70,000 and 32,000 jobs); Have no impact […]
A Weakened State: The Economic and Social Impacts of Repeal of the Prevailing Wage Law in Illinois (Full Report)
PERPETUAL STATE BUDGET DEFICITS and mounting debt have re-ignited claims that repeal of Illinois’ prevailing wage provisions will cut public construction costs and save taxpayers money. Critics of prevailing wage laws (PWLs) assert they inflate the costs of government contracts by compensating labor at levels higher than market wages. Contrary to opponents’ claims, findings from […]
A Weakened State: The Economic and Social Impacts of Repeal of the Prevailing Wage Law in Illinois (Policy Brief)
PERPETUAL STATE BUDGET DEFICITS and mounting debt have re-ignited claims that repeal of Illinois’ prevailing wage provisions will cut public construction costs and save taxpayers money. Critics of prevailing wage laws (PWLs) assert they inflate the costs of government contracts by compensating labor at levels higher than market wages. Contrary to opponents’ claims, findings from […]
The Economic Effects of Adopting A Right-To-Work Law: Implications for Illinois
The 9 million-job shortfall induced by the late-2007 economic recession has caused states to rethink policies on employment and income growth. One proposed policy change in many struggling states is the implementation of right-to-work (RTW) laws, which limit the ability of labor unions to collect dues from the workers they represent and influence the conditions […]
A Manufactured Myth: Why Claims of a “Skills Gap” in Illinois Manufacturing are Wrong
“Eighty percent of the manufacturing companies in the United States say they cannot find enough workers with the proper skills to fill open positions at their facilities.” –President Barack Obama, announcing the Military-to-Civilian Skills Certification Program in June of 2012.Many corporate executives and politicians in Illinois purport that the state’s workforce does not have the […]
Working in Illinois’ Public Interest: A Comparison Study on Earnings, Benefits, and Impacts
The State of Illinois confronts serious budgetary challenges. While the state’s affinity for borrowing money, inaction in providing serious tax reform, and poor investment performance are primarily responsible for this large budget deficit, the Governor and other state legislators have supported measures to limit expenditures on employment costs as quick fixes to the problem. Paired […]
Clean Cars, Dirty Work: Worker Rights Violations in Chicago Car Washes (Report in English)
In the winter and spring of 2012, the Labor Education Program of the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois conducted surveys of 204 employees at 57 car washes in Chicago. Surveys captured detailed information about wage and hour violations, occupational health and safety violations, and overall working conditions in the […]
Beyond the Classroom: Analysis of a Chicago Public School Teacher’s Workday
The Labor Education Program of the School of Labor and Employment Relations at the University of Illinois conducted surveys of 983 Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers during winter 2011-2012. In light of the recent debate over the length of the school day, this study offers a profile of a teacher’s standard school day workload and […]