“While much is known about the impact of collective bargaining on the wages of represented workers and the apprenticeship programs that train most of our state’s skilled construction workforce, this report details broader economic, fiscal, and social impacts that are too often overlooked by policymakers,” said study co-author and ILEPI Policy Director Frank Manzo IV. “In northeastern Illinois alone, construction union contracts aren’t just reducing poverty, they are creating jobs and spurring growth across all sectors of the economy while providing state and local governments with a reliable tax base to fund schools, police, fire, and other vital public services.”

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