Please join us for our Annual Spring Fundraiser on Monday, April 13 from 6:00–8:00pm at Premier Catering. We hope you can join us for a great evening in support of our work. Sponsorships and tickets are available at www.illinoisepi.org/events .

Our new op-ed explains how inadequate retirement benefits for public service workers diminishes quality of life in our communities. www.dailyherald.com/20260221/bus...

ILEPI CITED: In 2025, the U.S. lost 63,000 manufacturing jobs. IL lost 7,100 jobs during the same period—about 2.5x the national rate. ILEPI research points to rising costs from tariffs and cuts to federal infrastructure funding as contributing factors. news.wttw.com/2026/02/04/i...

Today and every day, we cherish the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Careers in unionized skilled trades offer upward economic mobility. chicago.suntimes.com/work/2026/01...

The job market continues to slow, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.6%—its highest level since September 2021. www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/12/...

Don’t miss the newest edition of our newsletter! illinoisupdate.com/2025/09/22/i...

NEW COLUMN: With retirements shrinking the construction workforce, Illinois’ pre-apprenticeship programs are opening doors, creating lifelong careers that pay $49 an hour, and ensuring businesses have access to skilled labor. www.dailyherald.com/20250906/bus...

A new ILEPI and Project for Middle Class Renewal Labor Education Program - University of Illinois study shows a sharp divide: declining union membership in “right-to-work” states vs. growth and higher wages in pro-union states. Read more on The Guardian! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

STATE OF THE UNIONS: New study finds that states strengthening collective bargaining rights are adding union members and boosting wages, while “right-to-work” states are losing ground. illinoisupdate.com/2025/09/08/n...

New ILEPI research on pre-apprenticeship programs was highlighted in a new opinion piece. Read it now! pantagraph.com/opinion/colu...

Pre-apprenticeship programs are tuition-free and provide industry-focused training through hands-on learning and classroom instruction. They’re also helping open doors for women and Black workers, increasing diversity across Illinois’ construction workforce. www.contractormag.com/training/art...

Programs to prepare workers for skilled trades apprenticeships have significantly boosted the number of women and people of color in Illinois’ construction workforce and also yield a big return on investment. chicago.suntimes.com/work/2025/08...

NEW STUDY finds pre-apprenticeship programs are transforming Illinois' construction workforce. Women and people of color are now the two fastest-growing groups in the state's construction industry. illinoisupdate.com/2025/08/20/s...

Check out our Summer 2025 Illinois Insights newsletter! 📉 IL needs 227K new homes to meet demand 💰 Modernizing our outdated tax system could raise $2B/year for schools & transit Read more: illinoisupdate.com/2025/07/14/i... #Illinois #Housing #TaxReform

"Improving affordability would require a substantial increase in housing supply to boost inventory, the number of homes for sale and the number of homes being built. Illinois could take a number of steps, and these could be statewide." www.wbez.org/housing/2025...

Illinois faces a critical housing shortage that has increased home prices and rents, leaving many families unable to find or afford housing. There were many causes of the shortage. Read ILEPI Economist Frank Manzo IV's Op-Ed here: www.dailyherald.com/20250627/bus...

Chicago Tribune coverage of our latest report: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/24/i...

ILEPI economist Frank Manzo IV hit Fox 32 Chicago this morning to talk about our new report on the Illinois housing shortage. Check out the segment here: www.fox32chicago.com/news/illinoi...

Important new research from ILEPI and PMCR unpacks and explains the housing market situation in Illinois. You don’t want to miss this report. Check it out. illinoisupdate.com/2025/06/24/s...

Wisconsinites are enrolling in trade programs to try to build rewarding, hands-on careers. MEPI research found 77% of Wisconsin’s construction apprentices are enrolled in joint labor-management programs. www.wmtv15news.com/2025/06/04/w...

Wisconsin saw growth in construction apprenticeships, but a new MEPI report says restoring prevailing wage and repealing “right-to-work” could have driven even stronger results for workers. wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/05/12/w...

Registered apprenticeships are tuition-free programs that let students earn while they learn, gaining nationally recognized credentials in high-demand fields. In the past decade, active apprenticeships in the U.S. have more than doubled. www.contractormag.com/training/art...

A new study finds that despite a nearly 50% increase in construction apprenticeships in Wisconsin, the state trails neighboring states with prevailing wage laws that encourage stronger investment in workforce training. midwestepi.org/2025/05/09/s...

Happy National Apprenticeship Day!

Amid economic uncertainty, Illinois is leading by example—using Project Labor Agreements to ensure public investments in infrastructure deliver real value, good jobs, and on-time results. Read our latest Daily Herald op-ed. www.dailyherald.com/20250419/bus...

Project labor agreements in Illinois did not have a statistically significant effect on projects’ construction costs, as the award amounts for winning bids were not higher on PLA projects compared to those without PLAs, after accounting for other factors. www.constructiondive.com/news/plas-il...

While TX & FL have no income tax, they tax 200%-300% more services than IL. This means working families in IL bear a heavier tax burden through property & income taxes. Expanding IL’s sales tax to modernize our system could generate $2B annually. Read ILEPI's latest op-ed to learn more!

Don't miss our annual fundraiser on April 21! Sponsorships and tickets are still available: www.illinoisepi.org/events

A new report confirms Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) lower costs and increase competition in Illinois construction projects. PLAs ensure fair wages, high-quality craftsmanship, and safer job sites. www.nprillinois.org/illinois/202...

Illinois’ outdated sales tax model is falling short. A new report by a coalition of civic groups suggests expanding the tax to consumer services, generating up to $2B annually to fund education, transit, & pensions. READ MORE: www.chicagobusiness.com/politics/ill...

Check out our latest newsletter, Illinois Insights! illinoisupdate.com/2025/03/19/i...

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed an Executive Order to promote the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) by state agencies for large public works projects. A recent ILEPI report found that PLAs increased competition and helped lower costs for taxpayers. www.mass.gov/news/governo...

A new ILEPI study says Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) boost competition on public construction projects, helping control construction costs for taxpayers. illinoisupdate.com/2025/03/06/s...

Illinois ranked 2nd in the nation for corporate expansions and relocations for the second straight year. siteselection.com/how-illinois...

ILEPI CITED: "A 2021 study, which analyzed 37,000 OSHA inspections, found that union worksites report significantly fewer safety violations than nonunion sites. This underscores the value of structured training programs in promoting industrywide safety standards." www.wwlp.com/business/pre...

Read ILEPI Economist Frank Manzo IV's latest Op-Ed: "If implemented in full, these tariffs would upend supply chains and increase prices. Even the Trump administration has acknowledged that they would cause 'some pain' for consumers." www.dailyherald.com/20250222/bus...

Illinois’ minimum wage increase to $15 is still insufficient to cover basic living expenses for many. “There certainly is an affordability crisis facing the nation, and not just Illinois,” said Frank Manzo IV, an economist with the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. amp.bnd.com/news/local/a...

NEW OP-ED: “In recent years, our elected officials have demonstrated an ability to pass balanced budgets, and to outperform expectations. There’s no reason this cannot happen again.” www.dailyherald.com/20250126/bus...

In recent years, a long-overdue national reckoning has occurred, with Americans acknowledging the promise of registered apprenticeships as alternatives to college degrees. These debt-free training are highly effective at delivering living wages. LEARN MORE: illinoisupdate.com/2025/01/20/d...

NEW STUDY: Trade school graduates out-earn minimum wage workers in most states, according to DOL-commissioned research. Participants in registered apprenticeship programs earn an average of $18/hour, rising to $32/hour upon program completion. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

A new USDOL commissioned study by ILEPI and PMCR links registered apprenticeships with expanded access to living wages, with participants in union-affiliated construction programs seeing the biggest gains. illinoisupdate.com/2025/01/20/d...

Oregon's Governor signed an Executive Order mandating projecting labor agreements (PLAs) for state-funded construction projects. Research from ILEPI finds PLAs promote bid competition, control costs, and expand pathways to skilled construction careers. www.msn.com/en-us/news/p...