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Founded | 1919 |
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Type | Advocacy group |
Focus | Business advocacy |
Headquarters | Springfield, Illinois |
Location | |
Area served | Illinois |
Method | Political lobbying |
President and CEO | Louis Sandoval |
Chairman of the Board | Dan Wagner |
Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel | Lori Poppe Hiltabrand |
Website | https://ilchamber.org/ |
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is a business advocacy group representing the interests of businesses across the state of Illinois. It is not a government agency, but a non-profit membership business advocacy organization.
The Chamber is staffed with policy experts, lobbyists, and business advocates. Politically, the Chamber is pro-growth and pro-business, but is non-partisan and works across party lines to work in the interest of the entire Illinois business community. [1] The Chamber is one of the largest broad-based business lobbying groups in Illinois which represents members from various industry sectors and revenue sizes ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations.
On May 27, 1919, 24 business leaders assembled in Quincy, Illinois from various locations throughout the state to deal with the issue of what they considered too much government in business and to "promote and protect the business climate in Illinois". [2] On August 2, 1919, the Illinois Chamber was officially chartered by the Illinois Secretary of State's office, with its charter membership seeking to promote and develop Illinois, foster its abundance of natural resources, and improve its conditions so the greatest possible benefit and enjoyment could be derived by living in Illinois. At first, the Illinois Chamber and its membership pledged to "refrain from any political involvement", however, it eventually provided legislative information regularly to its members, and in 1923, an office in Springfield was opened for that very purpose. In the early years, the Illinois Chamber was a driving force behind the formation of the Illinois State Police and the establishment of an appointed Illinois State Board of Education.
The chamber's mission as the leading business organization in Illinois, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to advocating for a business environment that promotes economic growth, free enterprise, and economic prosperity for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.
The chamber's focus is to raise and expend funds for the purposes of financing and sponsoring, publishing, promoting and distributing research on issues important to businesses or issues and analyses of the Illinois economy and business climate; provide educational forums that facilitate the discussion and debate of policy or operational matters that impact businesses generally, business segments of the Illinois economy, or the Illinois business climate; and with other organizations, sponsor activities and research projects that are consistent with the stated purposes above.” [3] The Illinois Chamber serves businesses large and small and works with state government leaders to educate and influence lawmakers on ways to enhance the state's economy through enacting pro-business legislation.
The Illinois Chamber has hosted many political leaders in the past, including President George W. Bush in 2008 when he addressed Illinois Chamber members and the world about the state of the economy. [4]
The Illinois Chamber serves all businesses and employers in Illinois.
Membership is the driving force behind the Illinois Chamber's operation, working with employers across the state to develop a pro-business agenda. The Illinois chamber of Commerce does not receive funding from any governmental entity and is fully independent. [ citation needed ]
Created in 1975, Chamber PAC is one of the oldest business political action committees in Illinois. [5]
The main purpose of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Foundation is to raise and expend funds for financing and sponsoring, publishing, promoting, and distributing research on issues important to businesses or issues and analyses of the Illinois economy and business climate; providing educational forums that facilitate the discussion and debate of policy or operational matters that impact businesses generally, business segments of the Illinois economy, or the Illinois business climate; and with other organizations, sponsor activities, and research projects that are consistent with the stated purposes above. [6]
Workers' Compensation -The Illinois Chamber took the lead in the last 8 years to enact legislation to reform the workers' compensation system on behalf of employers across Illinois. [7]
A trade union or labor union, often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages and benefits, improving working conditions, improving safety standards, establishing complaint procedures, developing rules governing status of employees and protecting and increasing the bargaining power of workers.
The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, also known as the Wagner Act, is a foundational statute of United States labor law that guarantees the right of private sector employees to organize into trade unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action such as strikes. Central to the act was a ban on company unions. The act was written by Senator Robert F. Wagner, passed by the 74th United States Congress, and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community. Local businesses are members, and they elect a board of directors or executive council to set policy for the chamber. The board or council then hires a President, CEO, or Executive Director, plus staffing appropriate to size, to run the organization.
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. Through collaboration between companies within a sector, a trade association participates in public relations activities such as advertising, education, publishing and, especially, lobbying and political action. Associations may offer other services, such as producing conferences, setting industry standards, holding networking or charitable events, or offering classes or educational materials. Many associations are non-profit organizations governed by bylaws and directed by officers who are also members.. Many associations are non-profit organizations governed by bylaws and directed by officers who are also members..
The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is a business association advocacy group. It is the largest lobbying group in the United States. The group was founded in April 1912 out of local chambers of commerce at the urging of President William Howard Taft and his Secretary of Commerce and Labor Charles Nagel. It was Taft's belief that the "government needed to deal with a group that could speak with authority for the interests of business."
The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan is an international business association based in Taipei City, Taiwan, with about 1,100 members representing over 580 companies across various sectors.
Labor unions represent United States workers in many industries recognized under US labor law since the 1935 enactment of the National Labor Relations Act. Their activity today centers on collective bargaining over wages, benefits, and working conditions for their membership, and on representing their members in disputes with management over violations of contract provisions. Larger labor unions also typically engage in lobbying activities and electioneering at the state and federal level.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) is Australia's largest and most representative business association, comprising state and territory chambers of commerce and national industry associations. ACCI represents Australian businesses of all shapes and sizes, across all sectors of the economy, and from every corner of the country.
The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) is a broad-based business advocacy group in California, United States, originating as the California State Board of Trade in 1890. Its membership includes large and small firms from every industry, representing one-quarter of the private sector jobs in California. A non-profit organization, the Chamber helps businesses and human resources professionals comply with employment laws, promotes international trade, and lobbies politicians for pro-business policies and investment.
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is a statewide membership organization centered on a mission of pro-business advocacy and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The Georgia Chamber claims to oppose legislation which most small and large business owners would consider a threat to their business success.
BIPAC is a political organization that was founded in 1963, with the stated goal of electing "business-friendly" candidates. It was one of the first political action committees in America.
The Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) is a trade association for manufacturing companies in Illinois. It bills itself as "the oldest and largest statewide manufacturing trade association in the United States." Based in Oak Brook, Illinois, and founded in 1893 by businessmen opposed to legislation limiting the working hours of women, IMA has more than 4000 member companies. The association lobbies on behalf of Illinois manufacturing interests and has its own political action committee and polling organization. IMA's president and CEO is Mark Denzler. The IMA publishes a quarterly magazine, The Illinois Manufacturer.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an Arizona based chamber of commerce. Since 1974, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been promoting statewide business advocacy at the Arizona Capitol and with the Arizona congressional delegation. Its membership employs 250,000 Arizonans from all sectors of the Arizona economy. The Board of Directors of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is composed of more than 120 business executives, representing industries across Arizona. The Arizona Chamber is governed by 9 board member directors and 32 Executive Committee members. Following the departure of President & CEO Glenn Hammer, Garrick Taylor served as the Interim President & CEO until Danny Seiden began his tenure in early Summer of 2021.
Kansas Chamber of Commerce (KCC) is a statewide business and industrial coalition in the state of Kansas.
The North Carolina Chamber of Commerce is a business network and advocacy organization whose chief mission is to promote business interests in the state of North Carolina. The NC Chamber is an affiliate of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Its headquarters are located in Raleigh, NC.
Jaime M. Andrade Jr. is the State Representative for Illinois' 40th District. He has served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 2013. During his tenure, he has prioritized legislation that keeps pace with technology, protects the environment, and improves community safety. He won his first election in 2014, and was re-elected as a Democrat in 2016, 2018, and 2020. He acts in leadership as Assistant House Majority Leader.
The Japan Association of Corporate Executives is a Japanese professional association of independent leading executives. Founded in 1948, the group engages in advocacy on public policy issues related to the development of the Japanese economy in both a domestic and global context. The association is commonly referred to as "Keizai Dōyukai".
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Illinois on November 8, 2022. The elections for United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, Governor, statewide constitutional officers, Illinois Senate, and Illinois House were held on this date.
The Richard L. TrumkaProtecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, is a proposed United States law that would amend previous labor laws such as the National Labor Relations Act for the purpose of expanding "various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace.” The measure would prevent employers from holding mandatory meetings for the purpose of counteracting labor organization and would strengthen the legal right of employees to join a labor union. The bill would also permit labor unions to encourage secondary strikes. The PRO Act would weaken "right-to-work" laws, which exist in 27 U.S. states. It would allow the National Labor Relations Board to fine employers for violations of labor law, and would provide compensation to employees involved in such cases. It is named after Richard Trumka, who was elected president of the AFL-CIO on September 16, 2009, and served in that office until his death in August 5, 2021.
On November 8, 2016, Illinois voters approved the Illinois Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that prohibits lawmakers from using transportation funds for anything other than their stated purpose.