SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV)— Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill package Thursday aimed at protecting workers and supporting organized labor.
Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1976, House Bill 1189, and House Bill 2488 to reaffirm his support for working families across the state and the Illinois Department of Labor. The collection of laws is designed to preserve current pay standards and worker protections against federal rollbacks from the current administration.
“Our state stands up for the hard-won advances made for our workers. The Pullman Strikes, the Haymarket Affair—it has been the working men and women of this state that have led the charge of progress not just for Illinois, but for the entire nation,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This legislation protects Illinois workers from the Trump administration’s assault on labor, because our workers can’t afford to be subject to the whims of corruption and chaos in Washington. Today, we continue our progress to make Illinois the best state in the nation to live, work and raise a family.”
Senate Bill 1976 is known as the Illinois Workers’ Rights and Safety Act. This act was an initiative from the Illinois AFL-CIO and the Illinois Department of Labor. The act will preserve the worker protections put in place by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act despite federal rollbacks. The law will also require the Illinois Department of Labor to replace any repealed federal occupational safety standard with a state standard.
“When we defend the rights of workers, we defend the rights of all. When we improve conditions for workers, we are directly impacting the quality of life for families, women, children, and everyone else in our state,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “That’s what today is really about – celebrating Illinois’ dedication to doing right by the people who keep us moving forward.”
House Bill 1189 amends the Prevailing Wage Act to ensure that workers for federal construction projects in the state are paid the Illinois prevailing wage whenever it’s higher than the federal rate.
“At the Illinois Department of Labor, we are committed to protecting the safety and economic security of Illinois workers,” said Illinois Department of Labor Director Jane Flanagan. “At a time when federal labor enforcement has diminished and workers’ rights face new threats, the work we do every day to uphold Illinois workplace protections has never been more vital.”
House Bill 2488 was previously signed into law, but was highlighted in Thursday’s signings as another recent bill signed to protect Illinois workers’ rights.
