Illinois came in 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new study by Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. that shows which states have policies and priorities most conducive to the construction industry. | Yury Kim/Pexels
Illinois came in 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new study by Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. that shows which states have policies and priorities most conducive to the construction industry. | Yury Kim/Pexels
Illinois came in 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new study by Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. that shows which states have policies and priorities most conducive to the construction industry.
The Merit Shop Scorecard investigates whether states have policies that Associated Builders and Contractors says fly in the face of free-enterprise principles, such as government-mandated project labor agreements (PFAs) and prevailing wage laws. The study also grades states highly for having right-to-work laws, which prevent workers from being forced to join labor unions.
Illinois received “F’s” for its policies favoring PFAs and a prevailing wage, as well as its failure to enact a right-to-work law. In addition, the Prairie State received a “C” for policies on public-private partnerships; “B” on workforce development; “C” on career and technical schooling; and a “C” for the state’s job-growth rate.
ABC gives higher grades to those states that allow workers and employers to determine wages and conditions without excessive government interference. It favors allowing more diverse participants in the bidding process and open and fair competition, Associated Builders and Contractors said.
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