Here’s how IEA, NEA unions said they spent teachers’ money in 2020

By Mailee Smith

08/12/2021

The Illinois Education Association and National Education Association filed federal reports showing how they spent money in 2020. Little was spent on what most assume is a teachers union’s central mission – representing teachers.

Government unions invested $10M in Madigan, but could that end in 2021?

12/23/2020

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has funded a lot of campaigns – and his legal defense – with money from government unions. Even if unions still back him in the New Year, members have options.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, corruption, government unions, Mike Madigan, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, teachers

7 misleading progressive tax claims public unions are telling Illinois members

By Mailee Smith

09/30/2020

Government unions and their PACs have spent more than $1 million pushing the progressive tax on the Nov. 3 ballot – and are using misleading information.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, fair tax, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, progressive tax, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, Vote Yes for Fair Tax

Illinois teachers’ unions funnel nearly $3.9 million to Madigan

By Mailee Smith

08/17/2020

Teachers’ unions have provided lots of campaign cash to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who’s been implicated in a bribery scandal. Teachers who don’t want their money sent to a corrupt system can opt out of the union.

TAGS: AFT: American Federation of Teachers, ComEd, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, Mike Madigan

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-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, labor, strike, unions

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

Illinois’ teachers pay for representation, but union priorities rarely focus on members

By Mailee Smith

06/21/2019

A detailed review of teachers union spending, 2013-2018

Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

By Adam Schuster

02/04/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker inherited a $2.8 billion budget deficit the moment he stepped into office. Next year, that deficit is projected to be $3.4 billion1. It’s the same story every budget season. But Illinois’ budget crises could be a thing of the past if the state would adopt pension reform, right-size its union contracts and...

Teachers’ unions spend millions on hotels, airlines and catering – but don’t tell members why

By Mailee Smith

02/01/2019

NEA and AFT racked up millions of dollars in travel and catering expenses. Their reporting documents don’t always explain the intent, including why a cruise line received union money.

Fraction of Illinois teachers’ union dues spent representing members

By Mailee Smith

02/01/2019

Recent federal filings by Illinois teachers’ unions show as little as 13 cents of every dollar was spent for “representational activities” – which is supposed to be the central purpose of the unions.

National Education Association

Here’s how IEA, NEA unions said they spent teachers’ money in 2020

Government unions invested $10M in Madigan, but could that end in 2021?

7 misleading progressive tax claims public unions are telling Illinois members

Illinois teachers’ unions funnel nearly $3.9 million to Madigan

Nearly 12K Illinois educators have stopped paying a teachers union

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

Illinois’ teachers pay for representation, but union priorities rarely focus on members

Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

Teachers’ unions spend millions on hotels, airlines and catering – but don’t tell members why

Fraction of Illinois teachers’ union dues spent representing members

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students