State of Illinois Archives: on Jobs


J.B. Pritzker: Support for childcare aids women's workforce participation

Illinois has created the nation's largest childcare grant program, with $290 million going directly to 5,000 childcare centers and homes in 95 counties, allowing them to stay afloat over this challenging year. In short: even absent necessary federal action, Illinois gave our all to keeping an entire industry alive--an industry that has the power to make or break women's participation in the workforce--in a way that other states failed to do.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature Feb 17, 2021

J.B. Pritzker: Bipartisan infrastructure bill creates 500,000 jobs

For the first time in a decade, we passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill. Rebuild Illinois will create and support 500,000 jobs in the state as we fix our aging and crumbling roads and bridges, bring broadband to parts of the state that are internet deserts, as well as modernize our hospitals, our community centers, our state police facilities, our universities and colleges--all of the things that keep us going and growing.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

J.B. Pritzker: Illinois Works set strong goals for diversity in hiring

Rebuild Illinois is about more than just roads, bridges and universities; it's about jobs: middle class careers with wages and benefits, the kind of jobs that help you raise a family. And together, we did more to make these jobs more inclusive and diverse, by investing in the Illinois Works program to recruit new construction apprentices and set strong goals for our public works projects to include diverse employees.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

J.B. Pritzker: Diversity & inclusion in hiring not just a talking point

When I took office, I hired people who came from all walks of life, all different backgrounds--who were diverse in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, geography and life experience and whose only loyalty is to good ideas and good results. A commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just a talking point for me. I have an administration that looks far more like the state we represent than any that has come before it. Our state is doing better because of it.
Source: 2020 Illinois State of the State address Jan 29, 2020

J.B. Pritzker: Bans "right to work" laws; supports collective bargaining

Legislative Summary: SB1474: Employers and labor organizations may execute and apply agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment to the fullest extent authorized by the National Labor Relations Act. It is the policy of the State that employers, employees, and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively.

Analysis by CBS-2 Chicago: With the support of labor unions, a new bill prohibiting municipalities in the state from enacting "right-to-work laws" was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker. The "Collective Bargaining Freedom Act" prohibits local right-to-work ordinances & imposes penalties for violations. [Voting "Yes" empowers unions by enforcing "collective bargaining"; voting "No" supports "right-to-work" laws that weaken unions].

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 42-12-5 on Mar/7/19; Passed House 101-8-9 on Apr/3/19; Signed by Governor J. B. Pritzker on Apr/12/19

Source: CBS-2 Chicago on Illinois voting record SB1474 Jun 21, 2019

Anne Stava-Murray: Bans "right to work" laws; supports collective bargaining

Legislative Summary: SB1474: Employers and labor organizations may execute and apply agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment to the fullest extent authorized by the National Labor Relations Act. It is the policy of the State that employers, employees, and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively.

Analysis by CBS-2 Chicago: With the support of labor unions, a new bill prohibiting municipalities in the state from enacting "right-to-work laws" was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker. The "Collective Bargaining Freedom Act" prohibits local right-to-work ordinances & imposes penalties for violations. [Voting "Yes" empowers unions by enforcing "collective bargaining"; voting "No" supports "right-to-work" laws that weaken unions].

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 42-12-5 on Mar/7/19; Passed House 101-8-9 on Apr/3/19; State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray voted YES; Signed by Gov. Pritzker on Apr/12/19

Source: CBS-2 Chicago on Illinois voting record SB1474 Apr 3, 2019

Darren Bailey: Keep "right to work" laws; limit collective bargaining

Legislative Summary:˙SB1474: Employers and labor organizations may execute and apply agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment to the fullest extent authorized by the National Labor Relations Act. It is the policy of the State that employers, employees, and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively.

Analysis by CBS-2 Chicago:˙With the support of labor unions, a new bill prohibiting municipalities in the state from enacting "right-to-work laws" was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker. The "Collective Bargaining Freedom Act" prohibits local right-to-work ordinances & imposes penalties for violations. [Voting "Yes" empowers unions by enforcing "collective bargaining"; voting "No" supports "right-to-work" laws that weaken unions].

Legislative Outcome:˙Passed Senate 42-12-5 on Mar/7/19; Passed House 101-8-9 on Apr/3/19; State Rep. Darren Bailey voted NO; Signed by Gov. Pritzker on Apr/12/19

Source: CBS-2 Chicago on Illinois voting record SB1474 Apr 3, 2019

Jim Oberweis: Keep "right to work" laws; limit collective bargaining

Legislative Summary: SB1474: Employers and labor organizations may execute and apply agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment to the fullest extent authorized by the National Labor Relations Act. It is the policy of the State that employers, employees, and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively.

Analysis by CBS-2 Chicago: With the support of labor unions, a new bill prohibiting municipalities in the state from enacting "right-to-work laws" was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker. The "Collective Bargaining Freedom Act" prohibits local right-to-work ordinances & imposes penalties for violations. [Voting "Yes" empowers unions by enforcing "collective bargaining"; voting "No" supports "right-to-work" laws that weaken unions].

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 42-12-5 on Mar/7/19; State Sen Jim Oberweis voted NO; Passed House 101-8-9 on Apr/3/19; Signed by Gov. Pritzker on Apr/12/19

Source: CBS-2 Chicago on Illinois voting record SB1474 Mar 7, 2019

Napolean Harris: Bans "right to work" laws; supports collective bargaining

Legislative Summary: SB1474: Employers and labor organizations may execute and apply agreements requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment to the fullest extent authorized by the National Labor Relations Act. It is the policy of the State that employers, employees, and their labor organizations are free to bargain collectively.

Analysis by CBS-2 Chicago: With the support of labor unions, a new bill prohibiting municipalities in the state from enacting "right-to-work laws" was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker. The "Collective Bargaining Freedom Act" prohibits local right-to-work ordinances & imposes penalties for violations. [Voting "Yes" empowers unions by enforcing "collective bargaining"; voting "No" supports "right-to-work" laws that weaken unions].

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 42-12-5 on Mar/7/19; State Sen Napolean Harris voted YES; Passed House 101-8-9 on Apr/3/19; Signed by Gov. Pritzker on Apr/12/19

Source: CBS-2 Chicago on Illinois voting record SB1474 Mar 7, 2019

J.B. Pritzker: Increase number of minority businesses for state contracts

We can grow our economy and make it more inclusive by taking advantage of the talent among the diverse people of our state. That's why we must promote the development of sustained wealth in black and brown communities by being purposeful about increasing the number of minority-owned businesses eligible for state procurement opportunities and by attracting private capital to build out new businesses and jobs in Opportunity Zones.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Illinois legislature Feb 20, 2019

Anne Stava-Murray: Pass fair scheduling laws to combat on-demand scheduling

Q: On-demand scheduling software now helps large retail companies determine how many staff members they will need on a day-to-day or even hour-to-hour basis. The downside is that employees may not receive their work schedules until the last minute. Oregon and a number of cities have responded by adopting "fair scheduling" laws. Would it be appropriate for the Illinois Legislature to pass a "fair scheduling" law? What would such a law look like?

Stava-Murray: It would absolutely be appropriate for the IL legislature to pass "fair scheduling" laws that look to the Oregon legislation as a jumping off point, which are in place for companies with over 500 employees worldwide. Key features would include a requirement for a good faith estimate of work schedule at the time of hire that: states the median number of hours the employee is expected to working in an average month; explains the voluntary standby list; and sets an objective standard for working on-call shifts.

Source: Chicago Sun-Times on 2020 Illinois Senatorial race Oct 22, 2018

J.B. Pritzker: Equal pay for equal work, not 79 cents for women

JB Pritzker released the following statement on Equal Pay Day: "Today and every day, we must fight for equal pay for women across our state and country, and as your governor, I will not relent until we make that a reality in Illinois," said JB Pritzker. "When white women make 79 cents, African-American women make 65 cents, and Latina women make 54 cents for every dollar a man makes, a fundamental injustice is harming so many of our communities, and it's time for it to come to an end. Unlike Bruce Rauner who vetoed the Equal Pay Act, I will prioritize signing that critical bill and ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment in Illinois. Let's end the inequality and finally achieve equal pay for equal work in our state."

Pritzer's Lt. Gov. nominee, State Rep. Juliana Stratton, added: ""No woman should ever earn less for doing the same job, period. Equal pay for equal work is a critical foundation from which we will build true equality in all aspects of our state and our country."

Source: 2018 Illinois Gubernatorial website JBPritzker.com Apr 10, 2018

Chris Kennedy: Raise minimum wage

More than 40% of people in Illinois earn less than $15 an hour, many closer to the current state minimum wage of $8.25, unchanged since 2010. These workers are mainly women, people of color, middle-aged and elderly workers. Such wages hinder people from covering basic needs like as housing, food, and transportation. Chris believes we should provide the people of Illinois with a livable wage.
Source: 2018 Illinois Gubernatorial website KennedyForIllinois.com Sep 1, 2017

Daniel Biss: Raise the minimum wage to $15

The minimum wage should be a living one, and that's why Daniel fought for a $15-per-hour minimum wage. Worker's rights must be protected, and available to all-- that's why Daniel has passed bills to crack down on wage theft and finally close the wage gap that still leaves women earning less than 80 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts.
Source: 2018 Illinois Gubernatorial website DanielBiss.com Sep 1, 2017

J.B. Pritzker: Private initiatives can create new jobs

Not all that long ago, Illinois was way behind when it came to creating technology jobs--and we were missing out on the high-paying jobs those businesses create. I led the creation of a non-profit small business incubator called 1871, which in the last five years is responsible for creating 6,000 new jobs in Illinois, and we're now ranked among the top ten tech hubs in the world.
Source: 2018 Illinois gubernatorial campaign website JBPritzker.com Jul 17, 2017

J.B. Pritzker: State & local business share vocational training

Restoring vocational training for high school students and designing regional workforce development programs that are aligned with the needs of the local labor market and responsive to the unique characteristics of the communities they serve will help Illinoisans gain the technical training and accreditation they need to transition into new & emerging jobs. [I'll] foster greater coordination between industry partners and local community colleges on curriculum design & the sharing of labor market data.
Source: 2018 Illinois gubernatorial campaign website JBPritzker.com Jul 17, 2017

J.B. Pritzker: Uphold unions and living wage

By leveraging Illinois' strong agricultural base and energy generation sector, we can attract new industries and businesses to communities that need it most. Our state must restore its vital partnership with working families and labor unions, and uphold the principle that every worker deserves a living wage.
Source: 2018 Illinois gubernatorial campaign website JBPritzker.com Jul 17, 2017

Chris Kennedy: Pro-business AND pro-labor; ran all-union shop

I know first-hand that it is possible to be pro-business and pro-labor. I believe that partnering with union labor provides a competitive advantage. I believe this because it has been my experience during my entire work life.

With an all-union shop, we competed with and beat out non-union businesses around the country. Day-in and day-out, the frontline union staff provided our clients better customer service, and a commitment to excellence that clients could not get anywhere else.

Source: 2018 Gubernatorial campaign website, KennedyForIllinois.com Jan 31, 2017

Raja Krishnamoorthi: Raise federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour

Raja's Working Families Agenda includes:"As a small businessman, I know that what's good for our workers is good for our company," said Raja "We need to make sure that hard work is rewarded and that workers with families can achieve a middle-class life. Congress needs to renew its focus on helping to get and keep people in the middle class. That's why I'm running for Congress, to put working families first."
Source: 2016 Illinois House campaign website RajaForCongress.com Nov 8, 2016

Bruce Rauner: Over-burdensome workers comp makes Illinois uncompetitive

To bring good jobs to Illinois, we have to make Illinois a place where it is good to do business. We must fix our workers comp system, labor regulations, liability costs, and property taxes that make us uncompetitive. The cost of worker's comp is the biggest factor driving our job losses. If we simply aligned our workers' comp costs with those of a state like Massachusetts--which is hardly a bastion of conservatism--we can save state and local taxpayers over $300 million per year.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Illinois legislature Jan 27, 2016

Bruce Rauner: Public officials do not deserve a raise

The compensation demands being made by AFSCME leaders are out-of-touch with reality. Adjusted for the cost of living, we already have the highest paid state employees in America. Undeterred and unashamed, AFSCME is demanding $3 billion more in overall compensation. That $3 billion should go into our schools and human services, not into government bureaucracy.
Source: 2016 State of the State speech to Illinois legislature Jan 27, 2016

Daniel Biss: Raise minimum wage from $8.25 to $11 by 2019

Legislative Summary: Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 35-18-6 on Feb. 5; Sen. Daniel Biss voted YEA; bill then died in House committee.
Source: Illinois legislative voting records: SB 11 Feb 5, 2015

Jim Oberweis: Voted NO on raising minimum wage from $8.25 to $11

Legislative Summary: Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 35-18-6 on Feb. 5; Sen. Jim Oberweis voted NAY; bill then died in House committee.
Source: Illinois legislative voting records: SB 11 Feb 5, 2015

Napoleon Harris: Raise minimum wage from $8.25 to $11 by 2019

Legislative Summary: Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 35-18-6 on Feb. 5; Sen. Napoleon Harris voted YEA; bill then died in House committee.
Source: Illinois legislative voting records: SB 11 Feb 5, 2015

Bruce Rauner: Raise minimum wage to $10 an hour over the next 7 years

We must help those workers who are barely getting by, by raising the minimum wage. Our Economic Growth and Jobs Package increases the minimum wage to $10 an hour over the next 7 years.

Raising the minimum wage in conjunction with improving the overall jobs climate, will make Illinois more competitive and create a booming economy while increasing incomes for hardworking Illinoisans.

Source: State of the State address to 2015 Illinois Legislature Feb 4, 2015

Bruce Rauner: Create Right-to-Work zones; reform workers' comp

We are in a jobs crisis. Illinois has the worst unemployment rate in the Midwest and among the highest in the nation. That's unacceptable.

Illinois is blessed with tremendous natural resources, world-class cities and towns, and dedicated, hard-working people. It's the politicians in charge of Springfield who are holding us back.

Source: 2014 Illinois Gubernatorial campaign website BruceRauner.com Nov 4, 2014

Jim Oberweis: Minimum wage of $10 (and less for those under age 24)

Sen. Dick Durbin supports raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, and closing the pay gap between men and women.

State Sen. Jim Oberweis prefers a minimum-wage hike only for workers who are in their mid-20s or older. His campaign calls closing the pay gap a "handy campaign prop" with no chance of becoming law. Oberweis believes lower taxes and fewer federal regulations would help improve workers' fortunes.

In April, Oberweis proposed a state measure to gradually boost the minimum wage for workers 26 and older until their hourly wages hit $10 in 2017. On the federal level, Oberweis might favor raising the minimum wage for workers who are at least 24 years old. Oberweis' campaign points to a CBO report which found that most low-wage workers would receive higher pay under the federal proposal but that once the increases were fully implemented in 2016, total employment would be reduced by about 500,000 workers because some low-wage jobs would be eliminated.

Source: Chicago Tribune on 2014 Illinois Senate debate Oct 13, 2014

Richard Durbin: Raise minimum wage to $10.10 & same pay regardless of gender

Durbin supports raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and closing the pay gap between men and women.

Jim Oberweis prefers a minimum-wage hike only for workers who are in their mid-20s or older. His campaign calls the Durbin-backed measure to close the pay gap a "handy campaign prop" with no chance of becoming law.

Durbin favors gradual increases over 2 years until the minimum hits $10.10. Initially it would climb to $8.20 an hour, below the $8.25-an-hour minimum in Illinois. Later hikes would see the minimum wage rise to $9.15 and $10.10 [and thereafter] tie hikes in the minimum wage after 2016 to the rate of inflation. Durbin says the buying power of the minimum wage has dropped more than 30% since 1968. He says an increase would inject money into the economy, fueling demand for goods and services and creating 85,000 jobs. According to Durbin, businesses that don't pay employees enough to survive are asking the government to make up the difference with food stamps and other help.

Source: Chicago Tribune on 2014 Illinois Senate debate Oct 13, 2014

Sharon Hansen: No minimum wage; & no set pay based on gender

Sen. Dick Durbin supports raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, and closing the pay gap between men and women. State Sen. Jim Oberweis prefers a minimum-wage hike only for workers who are in their mid-20s or older. His campaign calls the Durbin- backed measure to close the pay gap a "handy campaign prop" with no chance of becoming law. Oberweis believes lower taxes and fewer federal regulations would help improve workers' fortunes.

Libertarian Sharon Hansen said she opposes raising the minimum wage and that employers should be free to set workers' pay without regard to gender.

Durbin favors gradual increases over two years until the hourly minimum hits $10.10. Durbin says an increase would inject money into the economy, fueling demand for goods & services and creating 85,000 jobs.

Oberweis' campaign points to a CBO report which found that most low-wage workers would receive higher pay under the proposal but that total employment would be reduced by about 500,000 workers.

Source: Chicago Tribune on 2014 Illinois Senate debate Oct 13, 2014

Pat Quinn: Reformed burdensome worker compensation system

Four years ago, Illinois had one of the most burdensome worker compensation systems in the country. That didn't help our businesses or our workers. So we reformed the system, saving business millions of dollars in insurance premiums. And we did it working together, with both parties. Achieving this reform was not easy; but hard is not impossible.
Source: 2013 State of the State speech to Illinois Legislature Feb 6, 2013

Pat Quinn: Illinois Jobs Now! and Employer Training Investment Program

Our greatest asset is our human capital. Illinois' workers are smart, resourceful, and hardworking. But we can't become complacent. We must invest in our state's workforce to meet the changing needs of business, so that Illinois workers always have the education, training and skills necessary to compete with anyone around the world. That's why I am proposing to increase support for the Employer Training Investment Program.

Shortly after I became Governor, we enacted our job recovery initiative-- Illinois Jobs Now!--a $31 billion job recovery program to rebuild our roads, bridges, water systems, railroads, airports, and schools. We are in the middle of the largest road-building program in the history of Illinois. So far, we have repaired 4,800 miles of roads and 500 bridges--with a lot more to come. We are creating jobs. Capital projects to date have created 142,000 short-term and permanent jobs. Altogether we will create and retain more than 400,000 jobs over the course of the program.

Source: Illinois 2011 State of the State Budget Address Feb 16, 2011

Pat Quinn: I want to be the "Building Governor"

I want to be the "Building Governor." I want to build more things, more good things, across our state than any other governor in state history. We have the wherewithal to do it. We have the will & the people to do it. We have the work ethic to do it. It's very important in Illinois that we have work.

I've laid out a jobs and economic growth plan for our state. We have planned road construction, bridge repair, water investment, rail construction. Helping build new schools and repair old schools.

Source: Illinois 2010 State of the State Address Jan 13, 2010

Alexi Giannoulias: Invest in clean energy jobs which cannot be outsourced

Source: 2010 Senate campaign website, AlexiForIllinois.com, "Issues" Dec 25, 2009

Alexi Giannoulias: Evaluate workers on their abilities, not their identities

Workers should be evaluated on their ability to do a job, not on their identities. Alexi supports efforts, modeled after existing civil rights and disabilities legislation, to prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Source: 2010 Senate campaign website, AlexiForIllinois.com, "Issues" Dec 25, 2009

Barack Obama: Overrode federal overtime rules and raised the minimum wage

Obama was the driving force behind Illinois’ Earned Income Tax Credit, which has provided more than $100 million in tax relief to working families. He was the chief sponsor of the law that exempts Illinois from the Bush Administration’s new federal overtime rules and protects overtime pay for thousands of Illinois workers. He voted to increase the minimum wage to $6.50 an hour. He sponsored a law that ensures workers have advance warning if their employer is about to conduct a mass lay-off.
Source: 2004 Senate campaign website, ObamaForIllinois.com Sep 28, 2004

Barack Obama: Fund Trade Adjustment Assistance for service workers too

Obama will ensure funding is available for the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, and expand it so it covers service workers as well as manufacturing workers, in order to provide retraining, income support, health insurance tax credits, and other benefits to those who lose their jobs because of trade.
Source: 2004 Senate campaign website, ObamaForIllinois.com Jun 25, 2004

Barack Obama: Tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs

Obama believes that there is no such thing as a “jobless recovery.” Obama will champion policies that get our economy moving and people working instead of short-sighted tax-cuts for the rich that have failed to spark a recovery.
Source: 2004 Senate campaign website, ObamaForIllinois.com May 2, 2004

Barack Obama: Obama will strengthen unions and workers’ rights

Obama will do everything in his power to fight the Bush Administration’s crusade against unions and, instead, build support to strengthen workers’ rights.
Source: 2004 Senate campaign website, ObamaForIllinois.com May 2, 2004

  • The above quotations are from State of Illinois Politicians: Archives.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Jobs:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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