Posts tagged Illinois Policy Institute
Five years ago, U.S. Supreme Court strikes down forced public union dues
July 5, 2023 // Following the Supreme Court ruling, Janus left his job with the state of Illinois to join the Illinois Policy Institute, a free market think tank. The ruling affected union participation around the country. According to the Freedom Foundation, over a quarter of a million workers have left the four largest public unions since the Janus decision, which is a decline of about 10 percent. After the ruling, AFSCME Council 31, the union Janus sued, saw nearly a 20% drop in membership.
Chicago School Principals Average $157K, Unionizing
June 13, 2023 // The already-high pay averages are both substantially higher than other principals and assistant principals in Illinois, which average $116,400 and $100,000, respectively. Median household income in Chicago is $65,781. This movement is likely to succeed. Mayor Brandon Johnson has already signaled support for this unionization attempt during his campaign, and has created a deputy mayor for labor relations position that will “foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of Chicago” and “assure work-related benefits and rights.”
Right-to-unionize amendment clears Pa. House committee
May 2, 2023 // The House Labor and Industry Committee reported out the proposal introduced by Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Philadelphia, and Nick Pisciottano, D-Allegheny, with a 12-9 vote. Republicans, who questioned the amendment’s impact on other laws, were unanimous in opposition. “This bill is really, really simple,” Fiedler said. “It would enshrine in the state Constitution the right of workers to organize and collectively bargain, period, exclamation point.” To amend the state Constitution, a proposed amendment must be approved by both chambers of the General Assembly in consecutive sessions. The proposal is then put before voters in a referendum. The earliest the right-to-unionize amendment could appear on the ballot would be the 2025 primary election.
I4AW Adds Three Labor Voices to Prestigious Senior Fellows Program
January 30, 2023 // These new fellows- Ken Girardin, David Osborne, and Mailee Smith- have impressive backgrounds as policy leads at the foremost labor policy organizations in the country. Their work is bridging the information gap with data and analysis that show how outdated labor policies and special interest politics are harming a large swath of the American workforce and producing hostile economic conditions for workers and small business owners. “We are proud to highlight the important research and analysis that Ken, Mailee and David are contributing to the labor policy debate,” said president of Institute for the American Worker, F. Vincent Vernuccio. “These new fellows and their respective organizations are on the cutting edge of labor policy, and we are honored to include them on the I4AW team.”
Illinois: Local unions celebrating anticipated passing of Workers’ Rights Amendment
November 10, 2022 // Marilee Smith, with the Illinois Policy Institute, said the amendment could give union leaders too much power. “It could allow government unions to negotiate virtually anything,” Smith said.
Two states, two visions for the future of labor “Right-to-work” is on the ballot.
October 3, 2022 // Two economic papers published in the last year also reached different conclusions about the consequences of right-to-work laws. The first found right-to-work laws associated with increased manufacturing employment, increased employment, and greater upward mobility. The second found that right-to-work laws lower wages and unionization rates.