Hoffman Supported: Pritzker Signs Legislation Expanding Economic Opportunity and Workers’ Rights Protections

SPRINGFIELD – Building on efforts to expand worker’s rights protections and economic opportunity for communities across Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker today signed legislation requiring casino applicants to enter a project labor agreement when seeking a new or renewed casino license.

"Expanding access to economic opportunity through high quality jobs has been priority since day one for this administration," said Governor JB Pritzker. "SB 1360 meets that commitment while establishing a process that gives all hardworking men and women certainty and safe treatment. I applaud Representative Jay Hoffman and Senator Dale Fowler for their steadfast commitment to communities across the state which will benefit from this legislation."

Casino owner applicants must provide evidence that that they have entered into a project labor agreement which conforms to requirements of the Project Labor Agreements Act. The agreements will apply to employees engaged in construction and will also ensure the protection of Illinois jobs by eliminating the ability to bring in out-of-state workers at low wages.

“This legislation is about protecting Illinois jobs, and about keeping good paying jobs downstate,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville). “I’m glad that this critical measure will ensure that we uphold our promises to our local labor unions. I thank Governor Pritzker and his administration for continuing to advance our common goal of creating even more economic opportunity for families in every corner of our state.”

“Labor organizations are the backbone of our middle class, and I sponsored this legislation to ensure that we honor our commitment to the hardworking men and women who make up our local labor unions,” said State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg). “I’m proud to be a vocal advocate for Illinois workers, and am excited that the Governor is signing legislation to guarantee future well-paying jobs stay in Southern Illinois.”

“We once again applaud a bipartisan group of legislators and Gov. Pritzker for underscoring their commitment to economic development and well-paying jobs in southern Illinois, driven by the power of working men and women in organized labor,” said Tim Drea, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO representing nearly 900,000 workers across the state. “These new requirements in the law will ensure exciting casino developments will hire the skilled, well-trained labor force living right here in Illinois to move our economy and our state forward.”

Required contents of project labor agreements include:

• Goals for apprenticeship hours to be performed by underrepresented minorities and women.
• Procedures for resolving jurisdiction labor disputes and grievances.
• Ensuring a reliable source of skilled and experienced labor.
• Guarantees against strikes and lockouts.
• Allowing the selection of the lowest qualified responsible bidder, without regard to union or non-union status at other construction sites.
• Binding all contractors and subcontractors on the project through appropriate bid specifications in all relevant bid documents.

Renewed casino license applications are required to cover wages, benefits and other compensation in the project labor agreement.

Any pending new casino application before the Illinois Gaming Board must provide evidence of the project labor agreement within 30 days after the effective date.

More like this: