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:- Raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and link future increases to inflation.
- Enact into law President Obama's executive order that workers earning less than $50,000 automatically qualify for
overtime pay.
- Require paid maternity leave for all women in the workforce.
- Grant workers the ability to earn up to seven days of paid leave annually when the worker or family members have medical needs.
-
Expand the federal child tax credit to help working families with the cost of raising children.
"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: - [Previous law]: from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2015 every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who is 18 years of age or older in every occupation wages of not less than $8.25 per hour
-
[New law]:
- From July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $9.00 per hour;
- from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $9.50 per hour;
- from July 1, 2017 to
June 30, 2018 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $10.00 per hour;
- from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $10.50 per hour;
- and after July 1, 2019 every employer shall pay
wages of not less than $11.00 per hour
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: - [Previous law]: from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2015 every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who is 18 years of age or older in every occupation wages of not less than $8.25 per hour
-
[New law]:
- From July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $9.00 per hour;
- from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $9.50 per hour;
- from July 1, 2017 to
June 30, 2018 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $10.00 per hour;
- from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $10.50 per hour;
- and after July 1, 2019 every employer shall pay
wages of not less than $11.00 per hour
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: - [Previous law]: from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2015 every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who is 18 years of age or older in every occupation wages of not less than $8.25 per hour
-
[New law]:
- From July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $9.00 per hour;
- from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $9.50 per hour;
- from July 1, 2017 to
June 30, 2018 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $10.00 per hour;
- from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 every employer shall pay wages of not less than $10.50 per hour;
- and after July 1, 2019 every employer shall pay
wages of not less than $11.00 per hour
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.
We need to lower the cost of doing business in Illinois and make job creation our top priority. To do that, we can:-
Get rid of the Quinn-Madigan tax hikes and replace them with a comprehensive overhaul of the tax code that is fair to all taxpayers.
- Create Right-to-Work zones and allow local communities to decide whether workers must
join a union in order to get a job.
- Enact tort reform and limit lawsuit abuse.
- Reform the workers' compensation system to make Illinois competitive with neighboring states.
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
Help business create the jobs of tomorrow:- Studies have shown that manufacturing jobs created by renewable energy--specifically wind and solar in the case of one study--have had an approximately 80% overlap with where jobs have been lost due to
outsourcing.
- Congress should make every effort to capitalize on American ingenuity. Alexi believes that with the right incentives for businesses to invest in clean energy, we can create good paying jobs that cannot be outsourced.
-
Illinois is home to more than 2,500 companies that have created more than 28,000 "clean energy jobs", like building wind turbines, weatherizing homes, manufacturing highly efficient lighting fixtures, and producing energy from waste.
-
As a Senator, Alexi will work to build on this foundation with the right kind of government incentives so that we can grow businesses focused on clean energy and double this number in the next few years.
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
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021