Illinois strides to support organized labor and discuss future challenges during the Mother Jones Festival in Mount Olive         

[JUNE 9, 2005]  CHICAGO -- Continuing in his efforts to support working men and women across Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced that state leaders, labor officials and union members from across the state will convene in a labor roundtable to inform working residents about labor protections and laws, as well as new state initiatives. The event will be part of the Mother Jones Festival in Mount Olive, in collaboration with the AFL-CIO, Lincoln Land Community College and other local organizations. It will be presented on June 24, from 8:30 to 11 a.m., at the Lincoln Land Education Center, Southern Region Education Auditorium, 1 Lincoln Land Drive, in Litchfield.

"It is appropriate to address labor issues of today while honoring Mother Jones, who is considered by many as the true matriarch of this nation's labor movement," said Gov. Blagojevich. "The labor roundtable will give state agencies the opportunity to demonstrate our support of hardworking residents and will highlight their tremendous contributions to Illinois' economic growth and development. We will also inform the community of our efforts to improve working environments, secure and protect wages, increase education and training, and ensure equality in the workplace."

Directors and high-level representatives from the state departments of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Labor, Employment Security, and Education will discuss the benefits of wage protections for working families, the positive growth of Illinois coal mining jobs, the importance of equal pay and progress in education reform.

A continental breakfast will be served, and the forum will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

To register for the roundtable, guests should RSVP by June 17 to Jane Langen via e-mail to [e-mail]; fax to [phone]; or postal mail to Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, 620 E. Adams St., Springfield, IL 62701.

"In the past two years, Governor. Blagojevich has demonstrated his commitment to supporting working families, improving the quality of life and giving the great people across this state the chance to get ahead," said Jack Lavin, director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. "Every day, the governor's Opportunity Returns strategy is doing just that: meeting the needs of communities across Illinois to create jobs and stimulating economic development to keep people working."

"Millions of Illinois workers struggle to support themselves and their families, and we want to make sure that they are aware of their rights and protections under state labor laws," said Art Ludwig, director of the Department of Labor. "We are delighted to lead this collaborative outreach effort."

The Mother Jones Festival is a national labor event, and this year's commemoration is even more significant as it marks her 175th birth anniversary and 75th death anniversary. Information on the festival is available at http://www.macoupinil.com/motherjonesfestival/.

About Opportunity Returns

Gov. Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois' history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn't work, the governor has divided the state into 10 regions, each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges.

Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local work force, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.

[News release]