2016 Archives - Labor Education Program (LEP)

UNION PARTICIPATION AND THE WORK FIT-JOB SATISFACTION-NEXUS: A STUDY OF THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION

The exit-voice tradeoff has helped scholars explain lower job satisfaction among union workers compared to nonunion workers since. Scholarship has further extended the exit-voice tradeoff to within-union samples by examining job satisfaction’s relationship to union participation instead of between union and nonunion workers. But how exactly does the exit-voice tradeoff apply to moderately or highly-satisfied … Read more

THE IMPACT OF A MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN ILLINOIS

Higher earnings for Illinois workers resulting from a minimum wage increase stand to have impacts on their ability to sustain families and cover expenses. The greatest impact, however, might be in housing affordability. Housing costs, whether in the form of rent or mortgage payments and maintenance costs, make up the largest monthly expense for most … Read more

ADVANCING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DIVERSITY: A PILOT STUDY OF THE EAST CENTRAL AREA BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL

The importance of the construction trades and apprenticeship programs as a unique and unparalleled pathway into middle class job opportunities for non-college graduates, inspired the Project for Middle Class Renewal in the Labor Education Program (LEP) at the University of Illinois’ School of Labor and Employment Relations to invite building trades’ apprenticeship programs to participate … Read more

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNIONS AND MEANINGFUL WORK: A STUDY OF PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS IN ILLINOIS

Researchers have investigated the reasons why people pursue a career in the public sector. A compelling case has been made that individuals who pursue careers in the public sector are more highly motivated by intrinsic factors such as “work that is important” and work that “provides a feeling of accomplishment.” This report describes findings from … Read more

MINNESOTA UNION REPORT 2016

Almost one half of all public sector workers are unionized in Minnesota and over half of all public sector workers are unionized in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Meanwhile, slightly more than one-third of all public sector workers are unionized across the nation. In comparison, fewer than one-in-ten (8.0 percent) Minnesotans who work in the … Read more

THE IMPACT OF APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IN ILLINOIS: AN ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFECTS

Despite the presence of registered apprenticeships in many Illinois industries, especially construction, little policy research has been conducted to analyze their economic and social impacts. This study, authored jointly by the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, investigates the effect of registered apprenticeship … Read more

AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF PREVAILING WAGE THRESHOLDS ON PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION: IMPLICATIONS FOR ILLINOIS

A state prevailing wage law supports construction workers employed on public infrastructure projects. The policy requires that workers employed on projects funded by taxpayer dollars are compensated according to hourly wage and benefits rates normally paid on similar private and public projects in an area. This report is an evaluation of contract thresholds for project … Read more

WISCONSIN UNION REPORT

This report, conducted by researchers at the Midwest Economic Policy Institute, the University of Wisconsin-Extension School for Workers, and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign analyzes the course of unionization in Wisconsin, in the Milwaukee metropolitan statistical area (MSA), and in the United States from 2006 to 2015. … Read more

THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ILLINOIS: ESTIMATING IMPACTS ON MANUFACTURING AND THE ECONOMY

There has been a general consensus among economists that international free trade is an important source of economic growth for countries. However, recent evidence finds that trade hurts local jobs and worsens income inequality. Mass job displacement can have significant effects on the national economy and public budget. This report focuses on the impact of … Read more

IOWA UNION REPORT 2016

This report, conducted by researchers at the Midwest Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign analyzes the course of unionization in Iowa and in the United States from 2006 to 2015. Some data from 2015 are also analyzed for the Iowa City metropolitan statistical area … Read more