Illinois Gov. Pritzker enacts new laws bolstering labor unions amid federal shifts

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Gov. JB Pritzker signed a package of legislation on Thursday aimed at supporting labor unions at the state level, in response to recent federal changes.

At the Illinois AFL-CIO headquarters, Pritzker signed SB1976, HB1189, and HB2488 to prevent the Illinois Department of Labor and Department of Natural Resources from adopting any rules less protective than those in effect under federal law as of April 28th, 2025.

Pritzker said the new laws were in response to a March 2025 executive order from the White House that eliminated collective bargaining for a large portion of the unionized federal workforce, which he described as “an assault on labor.”

President Donald Trump argued that collective bargaining agreements limited management flexibility in areas like staffing, performance evaluations, and workplace changes, and the executive order effectively gave management the ability to make unilateral decisions within government agencies.

“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 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.”

SB1976, or the Illinois Workers’ Rights and Safety Act, preserves worker protections set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, regardless of any changes at the federal level.

HB1189, an amendment to the Prevailing Wage Act, ensures that compensation for union employees reflects current local labor conditions.

HB2488, which was previously signed, eliminates references to the federal Equal Pay Act, and requires private employers in Illinois with 100 or more employees to report on employee wages by gender and race.