Chicago Teachers Union uses students as pawns in political power play

By Austin Berg

10/07/2019

CTU will continue to fight with the mayor over the next two weeks. Whether they actually walk out remains to be seen. But their behavior has already revealed what union power politics is all about – and who pays the price.

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

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’s mayoral candidate lost, and now it won’t deal with the winner

By Mailee Smith

09/25/2019

Chicago Teachers Union backed Toni Preckwinkle for mayor of Chicago, donating nearly $300,000 to her campaign in 2019. But Lori Lightfoot won – and now CTU is threatening to go on strike despite being offered a generous deal.

TAGS: contract, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Lori Lightfoot, strike, Toni Preckwinkle, unions

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

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

Worker freedom: More than 3,700 Illinois state workers stopped paying money to a union in 2018

By Vincent Caruso

12/23/2018

Of the more than 3,700 Illinois state workers who stopped sending part of every paycheck to a union, 2,800 stopped sending their money to AFSCME.

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

Union dues at work: AFSCME gives $1.4 million to Madigan

By Mailee Smith

11/06/2018

State records show AFSCME has funneled at least $1.4 million to Michael Madigan and Madigan-controlled committees in the past five years – including at least $823,200 just this year.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, dues, Mike Madigan, unions

Missouri’s right-to-work vote: Boon or boondoggle?

By Austin Berg

08/09/2018

Without right-to-work protections currently offered in 27 states, you pay the union or lose your job. It’s very simple.

TAGS: eric greitens, labor, missouri, right to work, unions