Skipping over Illinois, Toyota-Mazda plant heading to Alabama

By Brendan Bakala

01/10/2018

The $1.6 billion assembly plant will create an estimated 4,000 jobs for Alabama residents by 2021.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, right to work, taxes, workers compensation

Workers’ comp costs hit Illinois’ blue-collar industries

By Vincent Caruso

12/19/2017

Exorbitant workers’ comp costs punish small businesses and send employers dashing to Illinois’ neighboring states.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, workers compensation

Forgotten Illinois: Aurora

By Joe Kaiser

12/08/2017

Two sides, one city.

TAGS: Aurora, Caterpillar, east aurora high school, forgotten illinois, manufacturing, richard irvin, small business, west aurora high school

Despite 3,400 new jobs in October, Illinois’ labor market is nothing to celebrate

By Orphe Divounguy

11/20/2017

A positive jobs report for October does little to buck discouraging long-term trends in Illinois.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, manufacturing, unemployment

Why international trade matters for Illinois

By Orphe Divounguy

09/19/2017

Illinois will need more foreign investment, and major reforms to the state’s business climate, in order to get off the weak economic path it now treads.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, Donald Trump, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, manufacturing

Illinois sees worst month for manufacturing jobs since 2009

By Austin Berg

09/15/2017

The state’s August jobs numbers were poor across the board, but especially sobering for manufacturing.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, manufacturing

Burke to the future: Chicago alderman wants to ban self-driving cars

By Brendan Bakala

08/23/2017

Alderman Ed Burke argued in favor of a ban on driverless cars with a movie clip from “Back to the Future.”

TAGS: Ed Burke, manufacturing, regulations

Mattoon’s GE Lighting plant to have its final day of production

By Brendan Bakala

08/09/2017

The factory will close its doors after more than 70 years of making lighting components.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing

Foxconn to open new plant in Michigan

By John Kristof

08/09/2017

The announcement comes on the heels of the manufacturing giant’s decision to invest in Wisconsin.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, manufacturing, Michigan, right to work, Wisconsin

Another Illinois manufacturer set to cross state lines

By Marianna Schmiesing

08/07/2017

Alliance Steel Corp could bring 100 new jobs to Gary, Indiana.

TAGS: Indiana, manufacturing, taxes, workers compensation