CTU says union contract negotiations should be livestreamed to the public. It has a point.

By Mailee Smith

10/09/2019

In calling for livestreamed negotiations, CTU highlights need for transparency in Illinois public employee negotiations.

TAGS: contract, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, labor, Lori Lightfoot

CTU demands are an insult to average Chicago taxpayers

By Bill Reveille

10/03/2019

Property tax collections for Chicago Public Schools have grown nearly twice as fast as the typical Chicago household income.

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

Nearly 12K Illinois educators have stopped paying a teachers union

By Mailee Smith

10/02/2019

Educators across the state are exercising their rights, with 12,000 fewer public school employees sending dues or fees to teachers unions today than before the Janus v. AFSCME ruling.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, IEA, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, labor, strike, unions

Chicago Teachers Union votes to strike for third time in 7 years

By Mailee Smith

10/01/2019

After rejecting an offer based on the recommendations of a neutral third-party report, Illinois’ largest teachers union voted to walk out on their students as soon as Oct. 7.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Jesse Sharkey, labor, Lori Lightfoot, strike, unions

CTU votes to authorize strike: 6 things you need to know

By Mailee Smith

09/27/2019

Members of the Chicago Teachers Union have voted to authorize a strike, which could come as early as Oct. 7. Here are six things you should know.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Jesse Sharkey, labor, strike

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

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 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

Hundreds of educators stop paying money to Chicago Teachers Union following Janus decision

By Mailee Smith

08/23/2018

At least 300 Chicago Public Schools employees have stopped paying fees to the Chicago Teachers Union after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled they could not be forced to pay the union just to keep their jobs.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, labor