Chicago Teachers Union sets strike vote over $452M in demands

By Brad Weisenstein, Bill Reveille

09/06/2019

Chicago students could be out of school as early as Oct. 7 if union members vote for a third strike in seven years. CTU members already earn salaries that top most of their big-city peers.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Pritzker contract gives AFSCME unfettered access to workers’ private information

By Mailee Smith

09/02/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker agreed to a deal with AFSCME Council 31 that threatens the privacy of state workers and violates workers’ rights.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, contract, JB Pritzker, labor

Pritzker signs AFSCME deal costing taxpayers $3.6 billion more than it needed to

By Adam Schuster

08/29/2019

By continuing practices such as automatic raises and taxpayer-subsidized platinum health insurance, along with a new $2,500 bonus, the AFSCME contract will transfer more than $3.6 billion in extra compensation from taxpayers to state workers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, contract, health insurance, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Chicago Teachers Union president threatens strike

07/22/2019

The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to strike, as negotiations with the city begin to stretch into the coming school year. It would be the union’s third strike in seven years.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Jesse Sharkey, Lori Lightfoot, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, teacher salaries

Thousands of government workers exercise rights in the year after landmark Janus case

By Mailee Smith

06/27/2019

This is the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling government employees cannot be forced to pay a union. In that year, about 20,000 workers from just three of Illinois’ public-sector unions have said “no” to union membership.

TAGS: fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, labor

Pritzker’s AFSCME deal gives 12% automatic raises, $2,500 bonus to state workers

By Adam Schuster

06/26/2019

By continuing practices such as automatic raises and taxpayer-subsidized platinum health insurance, along with a new $2,500 bonus, the AFSCME contract will transfer more than $3.6 billion in additional compensation from taxpayers to state workers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, JB Pritzker, labor, pension guarantee, pensions, state worker pay, taxes

More than 6,800 Illinois educators have stopped sending money to IFT

By Mailee Smith

05/07/2019

More than 6.7% of employees represented by Illinois Federation of Teachers in Illinois are no longer paying dues or fees to the union.

TAGS: fair share, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, Janus v. AFSCME, unions

More than 8,000 Illinois workers have stopped paying AFSCME Council 31

By Mailee Smith

04/29/2019

Thousands of Illinois workers are no longer sending a part of their paycheck to one of the state’s most politically active unions.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, labor, unions

AFSCME Council 31 spent just 17% of funds representing workers in 2018

By Mailee Smith

04/26/2019

Union’s own reporting shows only 17% of overall spending went for “representational activities” in 2018. Just what are Illinois public employees paying for?

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, collective bargaining, Janus v. AFSCME

Illinois House passes bill making it easier for Chicago teachers to strike

By Mailee Smith

04/03/2019

Two of the nation’s largest government union strikes in the past decade happened in Illinois – both by the Chicago Teachers Union. And now a bill in the General Assembly would give Chicago teachers more chances to go on strike.

TAGS: Chicago, collective bargaining, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike, unions