In the face of mounting federal attacks on workers’ rights and hard-won gains in gender equity in the trades, the Illinois House of Representatives has taken a powerful stand for tradeswomen and underrepresented workers across the state by adopting House Resolution 161 (HR 161) today, October 30, 2025.
Introduced by Leader Lisa Hernandez, this resolution reaffirms Illinois’ steadfast commitment to equity, accountability, and investment in workforce opportunities that serve all Illinoisans, especially women and people of color. On March 5th of this year, over 200 tradeswomen and advocates from across Illinois gathered in Springfield for the second annual Tradeswomen Take Over Springfield advocacy day to push for greater opportunities for women and minorities in construction trades. Chicago Women in Trades staff and tradeswomen met with legislators, shared their stories, and urged adoption of HR 161.
Despite representing nearly 50% of the workforce, women make up less than 5% of those working in the construction trades and tend to be underrepresented in high-wage, unionized careers. Structural barriers like access to affordable childcare and workplace harassment continue to hold women back from these high-quality, family-sustaining jobs. Earlier in May, the Trump Administration gutted the Women’s Bureau, the only federal office dedicated to women’s rights in the workplace. Additionally, recent federal rollbacks have weakened agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), that protect workers from discrimination, harassment, and unsafe working conditions. Across the nation, gender and racial equity in the workplace is under siege.
This resolution reinforces that public dollars must support contractors who uphold the values of inclusion, safety, and fair opportunity. HR 161 lays the groundwork for continued progress and provides the clear guidance contractors need to do better. It builds upon the state’s investments in training and workforce inclusion, setting the expectation that future Illinois projects will not only help build up our infrastructure but also our workforce.
While the adoption of HR 161 is a victory, the fight isn’t over yet. CWIT urges you to sign up for our advocacy list to continue pushing for equity in the trades and to stand with the thousands of women and minorities who are ready to build Illinois.
