Illinois Economic Policy Institute
LightNews LightNews
banner
ilepi.bsky.social
Illinois Economic Policy Institute
@ilepi.bsky.social
120 followers 54 following 39 posts
We promote thoughtful economic growth for businesses and working families. www.illinoisepi.org
Posts Replies Media Videos
ilepi.bsky.social
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/...
Payrolls rose by 64,000 in November after falling by 105,000 in October, delayed jobs numbers show
Nonfarm payrolls were expected to increase by 45,000 in November as the unemployment rate rose to 4.5%.
www.cnbc.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:46 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
Don’t miss the newest edition of our newsletter! illinoisupdate.com/2025/09/22/i...
Illinois Insights – September 2025
The September 2025 Edition of ILEPI’s newsletter, Illinois Insights, has been released. This Edition discusses recent ILEPI reports: The 11th annual State of the Unions study finds that states prot…
illinoisupdate.com
September 22, 2025 at 2:10 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
www.dailyherald.com
September 9, 2025 at 2:57 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
US union membership declining in ‘right-to-work’ states, report reveals
Growing divide across US as membership increasing – and wages higher – in states that protect workers’ rights
www.theguardian.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:18 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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 RESEARCH SHOWS INCREASING UNION MEMBERSHIP AND FASTER WAGE GROWTH IN STATES THAT PROTECT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS
Workers’ Rights Amendment Has Sparked Surge of New Union Members in Illinois; Michigan Added Members following Repeal of Anti-Union Law FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 Media contact:…
illinoisupdate.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:08 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
New ILEPI research on pre-apprenticeship programs was highlighted in a new opinion piece. Read it now! pantagraph.com/opinion/colu...
Mike Raikes: Project labor agreements add value, diversity and opportunities for apprentices
"A hearty Labor Day thank you to Bloomington, Normal and McLean County for passing ordinances requiring project labor agreements on governmentally funded projects."
pantagraph.com
September 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
Study: Pre-Apprenticeship Programs Increasing Participation of Women, Black Workers in IL Construction Workforce
These tuition-free programs offer industry-focused training, hands-on learning, and classroom instruction.
www.contractormag.com
August 21, 2025 at 2:10 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
Illinois pre-apprenticeship programs boost women and minorities in construction, study says
It's significant as the state’s construction industry struggles to fill jobs and gears up for more expansion under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which sets a goal to fuel Illinois entirely by cl...
chicago.suntimes.com
August 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
STUDY Shows that Pre-Apprenticeship Programs are Dramatically Increasing Participation of Women and Black Workers in Illinois’ Construction Workforce
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 20, 2025 Media contact: Todd Stenhouse, 916-397-1131, toddstenhouse@gmail.com                    La Grange, IL: Inves…
illinoisupdate.com
August 20, 2025 at 2:07 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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
Illinois Insights – July 2025
The July 2025 Edition of ILEPI’s newsletter, Illinois Insights, has been released. This Edition discusses recent ILEPI reports: A new report finds Illinois is currently facing a housing shortage of…
illinoisupdate.com
July 14, 2025 at 1:15 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
"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...
A new study finds Illinois needs to build 45,000 homes for five years to address its housing shortage
Researchers found that rising incomes, employment growth and higher rates of homeownership have increased demand for housing.
www.wbez.org
July 1, 2025 at 1:39 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
Illinois is short 142,000 homes. Here’s how to fix that.
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. Strong employment g...
www.dailyherald.com
June 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
Chicago Tribune coverage of our latest report:
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/06/24/i...
Illinois must build 227,000 units in 5 years to keep up with housing demand, report finds
Illinois must build 227,000 more housing units in the next five years if it is going to keep pace with demand, according to an economic report released Tuesday.
www.chicagotribune.com
June 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
Illinois needs 227,000 more homes by 2030 to keep up with demand, new report says
A new study found that Illinois needs to build 227,000 new homes by 2030 to keep up with rising demand.
www.fox32chicago.com
June 25, 2025 at 2:47 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
STUDY: Current Illinois Housing Shortage Reaches 142,000 Units
State must add 227,000 homes over next five years to keep pace with rising demand FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 24, 2024 Media contact: Todd Stenhouse, 916-397-1131, toddstenhouse@gmail.com  &nb…
illinoisupdate.com
June 25, 2025 at 1:51 AM
ilepi.bsky.social
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 HS grads join trade apprenticeships
High school graduates are entering the next chapter of their lives, and many are turning to apprenticeships to gain the skills needed for in-demand jobs.
www.wmtv15news.com
June 5, 2025 at 3:53 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
Wisconsin construction apprenticeships are up; report says they could grow faster • Wisconsin Examiner
The number of apprentices grew faster in states with laws guaranteeing prevailing wages on publicly funded construction projects.
wisconsinexaminer.com
May 21, 2025 at 4:54 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
Registered Apprenticeships Deliver Skilled Workers and Living Wage Careers
Policymakers from both parties have acknowledged the promise of registered apprenticeships as viable career training alternatives.
www.contractormag.com
May 16, 2025 at 11:34 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
STUDY: Construction Apprenticeships Are Growing in Wisconsin, but Lag Neighboring States with Prevailing Wage Laws
Nonunion Programs Have Failed to Meet Demands for Skilled Labor La Grange, IL: Alongside historic investments in infrastructure, energy systems, and domestic manufacturing, registered apprenticeshi…
midwestepi.org
May 9, 2025 at 1:36 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
Happy National Apprenticeship Day!
April 30, 2025 at 7:57 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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 deliver on policymakers’ promises to taxpayers and workers
With tariffs, market volatility, and mass government layoffs dominating headlines lately, much of our national economic discourse has centered around whether public policies and investments are maximi...
www.dailyherald.com
April 23, 2025 at 11:51 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
PLA use didn’t increase project costs, Illinois study finds
Project labor agreements increased bidding competition on awards within the state, according to research from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute.
www.constructiondive.com
April 17, 2025 at 5:54 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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!
Illinois’ current sales tax system does not reflect a modern economy
Tax policy is a deeply misunderstood topic. In general, most people believe that “conservative” states levy fewer taxes than states with more “left-leaning” leadership. This is not always the ...
www.dailyherald.com
March 27, 2025 at 5:49 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
Don't miss our annual fundraiser on April 21! Sponsorships and tickets are still available: www.illinoisepi.org/events
March 25, 2025 at 3:31 PM
ilepi.bsky.social
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...
New report finds project labor agreements lower costs, boost competition in Illinois
State-commissioned study published as Biden-era executive order on PLAs faces legal challenge
www.nprillinois.org
March 24, 2025 at 3:32 PM