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Indiana has been growing union jobs faster than Illinois

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Illinois

* Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb says this in Gov. Rauner’s latest TV ad…

“We’re growing union jobs faster than Illinois.”

* The BGA and Politifact look into the claim…

The Rauner campaign said Holcomb’s claim is based on a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report from January 2017 on union employment and membership.

The report shows that from 2015 to 2016 — the first two years Rauner was in office — workers represented by unions in Indiana grew from 319,000 to 335,000, an increase of 5 percent. During that same time, workers represented by unions in Illinois fell by 4 percent, from 892,000 to 856,000. […]

Illinois’ 2015-16 union numbers are no statistical fluke. Even before the Great Recession, Illinois had been losing union jobs at a faster clip than its neighbor to the east.

From 2006-07, the number of workers represented by unions in Illinois fell from 979,000 to 884,000, a decrease of nearly 10 percent. Indiana’s union job losses in that period were less than 1 percent — from 334,000 to 333,000.

Michael Hicks, an economics professor at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., who tracks Midwest job trends, says the pattern bucks conventional wisdom.

“In 2006-07, in the wake of the very difficult manufacturing employment period, Illinois and Indiana shed both public and private union jobs,” Hicks said in an email. “But Indiana was holding on better, when it should not have because we are a more manufacturing intensive state (and private sector unions are more tied to manufacturing).”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:22 pm

Comments

“We’re growing union jobs faster than Illinois.”

It’s so hard to know these days with Republicans, but does Holcomb consider that a success or a failure? LOL

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:25 pm
I can see a state being right-to-work being an incentive for people to join a union. Remember all the fair share ASCME employees that became full union members.

Comment by Paul Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:28 pm
There’s an easy answer to why it will also be true in the next couple of years…the GOP in Indiana worked with Local 150 (yes, they are in Indiana too) and other labor leaders to get a real capital bill to build their infrastructure…& create good union jobs!

Comment by Labor Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:32 pm
I bet Indiana state government had budgets in 2015 and 2016 and was able to fund road and other infrastructure projects, which create union construction jobs.

Comment by Nick Name Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:33 pm
==I can see a state being right-to-work being an incentive for people to join a union. Remember all the fair share ASCME employees that became full union members.==

Indeed, given SCOTUS’ likely decision, this is probably the future unions have to work for.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:34 pm
More info: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/indiana-has-added-five-times-more-union-members-than-illinois-since-passing-right-to-work/

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:35 pm
It’s possible for a chihuahua to “grow faster” than a Great Dane, too. That doesn’t make it the big dog.

Why does Indiana have 335,000 union workers while Illinois has 856,000?

If the answer is state policies, then how is that an argument for being like Indiana?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:38 pm
Right to work is good for union workers. It forces unions to actually offer valuable services so workers CHOOSE to join.

Right to work is bad for union bosses. In forced union states they can do next to nothing to represent their workers and still force people to give them money.

Comment by Phil King Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:44 pm
I bet Indiana state government had budgets in 2015 — and 2016 and was able to fund road and other infrastructure projects, which create union construction jobs. –

Reeding is harde. Grom the article: ‘'’Illinois’ 2015-16 union numbers are no statistical fluke. Even before the Great Recession, Illinois had been losing union jobs at a faster clip than its neighbor to the east.

From 2006-07, the number of workers represented by unions in Illinois fell from 979,000 to 884,000, a decrease of nearly 10 percent. Indiana’s union job losses in that period were less than 1 percent — from 334,000 to 333,000. ‘'’

Comment by ughhh Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 3:59 pm
==was able to fund road and other infrastructure projects, which create union construction jobs==

Except this trend predates the budget impasse by about 5 years, so…try again?

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2015/03/06/imagine-union-membership-has-increased-past-two-years-right-work-indiana

Comment by Phil King Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:01 pm
– Why does Indiana have 335,000 union workers while Illinois has 856,000? –

https://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=kf7tgg1uo9ude_&met_y=population&idim=state:17000:12000&hl=en&dl=en#!ctype=l&strail=false&bcs=d&nselm=h&met_y=population&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=state:17000:18000&ifdim=country&hl=en_US&dl=en&ind=false

Comment by ughhh Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:03 pm
wordslinger - Indiana’s population is 6.6 million. Illinois’s is 12.8. That makes up for much of the difference in numbers right there. In addition, Illinois has historically been a huge union and manufacturing state. Indiana, not so much.

Comment by Mitchell Karr Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:11 pm
Not surprising, Indiana is growing jobs faster than Illinois so you would figure unions would get a fair share of job growth.

Comment by Ahoy! Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:12 pm
– Indiana’s population is 6.6 million. Illinois’s is 12.8.–

Yes. What does that tell you? Millions more choose to live and work here, producing hundreds of billions more in GDP.

Same geography, same geology, same lake access.

–Illinois has historically been a huge union and manufacturing state. Indiana, not so much.–

What “history” is that from, “The War of Northern Aggression?”

Not even remotely true. Indiana passed RTW in 2012. And it’s economy is far more dependent on manufacturing than Illinois.

In Indiana, manufacturing is 30% of GDP; in Illinois, 13%. In Indiana, manufacturing is 17% of non-farm employment; in Illinois, 9.5%.

For the record, Illinois has 6.1M employed and a $792B GDP. Indiana has 3.2M employed and $342 GDP.

http://www.nam.org/Data-and-Reports/State-Manufacturing-Data/

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:27 pm
“Millions more choose to live and work here”

True, but solely because of Chicago. The rest of Illinois is an economic back water more like Mississippi or West Virginia.

Comment by Ron Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:29 pm
===Mississippi or West Virginia.===

Having been thru both rural Mississippi and West Virginia in recent days, and going thru downstate Illinois…

… your ignorance on how things are similar mustn’t include actual knowledge.

Illinois, downstate Illinois is worlds better

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 3, 17 @ 4:32 pm