UL Fall 2015

An open letter to Governor Rauner from IFT President Dan Montgomery Dear Governor Rauner, I am a high school English teacher and have been a professional educator for the bulk of my adulthood. Currently, I’m on leave from teaching to serve as president of my state union, the Illinois Federation of Teachers. While we have never met or even spoken, that hasn’t stopped you from calling me names in the press, like a “corrupt union boss,” whatever that means. As I said, I’m a high school English teacher. I’m also a resident of the state you now lead and have noticed your ceaseless attacks on labor and working people.

Please forgive my impertinence in writing to you and assuming that you know very little about Labor Day, but as a teacher it’s my inclination to want to educate and uplift, and the events of the day suggest that you may have a limited understanding of work and the nature of this national holiday.

Don’t feel too badly: you are certainly not alone. Most Americans are not in labor unions, and fewer people understand the history and value of unions. It was the union movement that agitated for a five-day, 40-hour work week, the weekend, fair wages, a minimum wage, the right to organize, and equal pay for women and men, not to mention nearly every workplace safety protection on the books. And far more.

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4 Why IFT? Learn about “Strength in Numbers” in the second article of this three-part series.

6 Thank a PSRP!Show your appreciation on November 18, “PSRP Day in Illinois,” and every day.

7 NEW! Local News Now you can read about IFT locals’ successes and milestones in every issue.

10 IFT LEADers AFT LEAD teams show union pride in their communities and schools.

Connecting you to your union, because together we are stronger.

FALL 2015

Mr. Governor, have mercy on the working man and woman

Daniel J. MontgomeryPresident

In light of his continued attacks on dedicated public servants and middle-class families, I couldn’t help but wonder what our Governor was doing over the Labor Day holiday while the rest of us were (hopefully) enjoying a few hours of some precious time with friends and family. I was inspired to write this open letter to him and wanted to share it with all IFT members.

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Union Link is published four times a year by the Illinois Federation of Teachers. 500 Oakmont Lane, Westmont, IL 60559.

Phone: 630/468-4080www.ift-aft.org

Daniel J. MontgomeryPresidentChief Operating Officer

Karen GJ LewisExecutive Vice President

Marcia K. CampbellSecretary-Treasurer

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Union Link, 500 Oakmont Lane, Westmont, IL 60559.

MEMBERS: To change your address, notify your local union treasurer.

Aviva BowenDirector of Communications

Beth CamplainMedia Director

Amy ExcellMedia Director Kenzo Shibata Media Director

Jennifer HillProfessional Support Staff - Communications

GOING GREEN:Union Link is printed on recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and printed with environmentally- friendly soy-based inks.

© 2015 ILLINOIS FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFT, AFL-CIO

Daniel J. MontgomeryPresident continued from cover

E-mailDanI’d love to hear from you! Please write to me at [email protected] and tell me how you and your local are working to make our unions stronger.

Labor Day is a federal holiday, and working people treat it more or less like the end of summer. We get a three-day weekend! What will we do? Well, most public schools have started back up here in Illinois, so there are a lot of athletic and extracurricular events going on. My daughter had her first high school cross-country meet. Her unionized teachers and coaches did a fantastic job running a large event and spent most of the day with the kids.

Like many people, those teachers worked over the holiday. Some folks get no time off at all. Low-wage jobs in the fast food industry, for instance, pay poorly (not enough even to live on) and don’t provide any paid time off. So, while it’s a holiday, many people still have to work. People lucky enough to be unionized might get time-and-a-half for having to work while people like you, Governor, get to rest. (I noticed you had no public events scheduled over the weekend).

As we move up the economic ladder, if that’s still possible, you’ll notice that people with solidly middle-class jobs might be off, enjoying picnics and barbeques with friends and family. Travel north and south along the lakefront in Chicago, and you’ll see a wonderful panorama of people of all stations, colors, ethnicities, gathering, playing soccer, having family picnics, and the like. I recommend you visit and talk to them. Many are struggling to make ends meet. They enjoy things like beer and hot dogs, ribs, chips, homemade salads. Some cart their grills to the park. It’s not an expensive proposition, but that’s why people do it—it’s inexpensive fun!

One reason people celebrate modestly is because they are trying to save money. If they have kids in college, they are really interested in saving money. A year of undergraduate education could easily cost half or more of a teacher’s yearly salary. It’s nearly unaffordable. It might only amount to one one-thousandth of a percent of your annual income, but trust me—it’s a lot for the rest of us.

Some towns all over Illinois still have Labor Day parades, God bless ‘em. You may have even walked in one when you were campaigning. Politicians often walk in them to show they can connect with ordinary people and labor. Some politicians genuinely do care for us; I could introduce you to a few, if you’d like. You’ll also see unions marching in the parade. In addition to teachers, nurses, electricians, masons, carpenters, and autoworkers, some of the most popular groups will be the police and firefighters. They’re in unions, too, by the way.

I can’t really guess what the very rich do over Labor Day. I don’t begrudge you your wealth or your rest, but as an English teacher, I can’t help but recommend some Labor Day reading for you.

I always find myself turning to the much-missed Studs Terkel, the man my own teacher, Anna Deavere Smith, called the “great curator of American life.” He has a wonderful book called “Working” that might help you appreciate what average people do for a living. Though I might recommend you read his “Hard Times” even more right now. It’s an oral history of the Great Depression, and some of the suffering that workers faced in those times reminds me of today, though the gap between the very rich and everyone else is actually greater now than it was then.

Mr. Governor, I appreciate your time, and hope you have a learned a bit about how the vast majority of us in Illinois spend this weekend. I’ll leave you with a paraphrase of a fun Randy Newman song: Mr. Governor, have mercy on the working man and woman.

In solidarity,

UNION LINK | FALL 2015 3

After 34 grueling days, a group of ded-icated parents and community activists working to save Dyett High School on Chicago’s South side ended their hunger strike in September after winning key victories, including keeping their beloved school open and public.

The Dyett activists are members of the Coalition to Revitalize Dyett

High School, a group of parents, com-munity members, clergy, and others who have been calling on CPS since 2009 to consider community plans for the Bronzeville neighborhood school, which was scheduled for closure this June under a three-year phaseout plan. They began a hunger strike in August when CPS canceled a public hearing to listen to the plans, including the coalition’s innovative, well-developed proposal to re-open Dyett as a global leadership and green technology school with a science-based curriculum.

Dyett protestors received national at-tention and support, particularly from the IFT and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). In late August, IFT President Dan Montgomery and AFT President Randi Weingarten rallied with the hunger strikers.

Montgomery spoke passionately dur-ing the rally, recalling a quote from

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice every-where.” The IFT leader said that all communities and organizations should be standing in solidarity with Dyett parents as they fight to protect their neighborhood school and the right to have a voice in its future.

The Chicago Teachers Union, Local 1, has also been a strong supporter of the efforts to save the neighborhood school. Throughout the hunger strike, CTU representatives joined the protestors at sit-ins at the Board of Education’s offices, and IFT Vice President and CTU President Karen Lewis called upon the board president and Mayor Rahm Emanuel to address the situation.

The strikers’ efforts made an impact. CPS has agreed to reopen Dyett as a school with a neighborhood boundary, meaning enrollment is open to all children in the attendance area (with no lottery or test-score requirements for admission). The school will also include a technology component that the activists demanded.

Though the “Dyett 15” say they have accomplished a great deal, they vow to continue the fight for their community and to raise awareness for the plight of neighborhood schools across the nation.

StayInformedFor the latest developments, visit Dyett Global Leadership & Green Technology HS on Facebook.

Dyett hunger strikers win fight to keep neighborhood school open

Community members gathered with the Dyett hunger strikers for a vigil outside the Tribune building in downtown Chicago.

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“...through community resis-tance and this hunger strike, we pushed CPS and the mayor to commit to reopening Dyett as a public, open-enrollment neighborhood school. So that is an accomplishment.”

~ Hunger striker Monique Redeaux-Smith

There is a role for everyone in the union! Please do your part to help keep us strong. Download full graphic at: http://bit.ly/1ZU1lax

UNION LINK | FALL 20154

You know that our union has a positive impact on our own lives and professions, but you may not realize how the gains and protections provided by the union benefit non-union workers and our communities, too. “Why IFT?” is a three-part series that will help you understand why the union is important to us ALL.

fit in and why your involvement is so important.

Working together in our unions, our strength in numbers helps us accomplish great things, from feeding hungry families in our communities to electing excellent school boards to protecting the collective bargaining rights that benefit all workers – both union and non-union.

LearnMoreTo learn more and do your part to help keep us strong, visit ift-aft.org/whyIFT.

in 200+ locals across Illinois. IFT members are also backed by the 1.5 million-member American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and more than 10 million members of the national AFL-CIO.

The IFT is one of the largest labor unions in Illinois, and our strength in numbers gives us all the power to make a difference for our members, students, and citizens.

To be most effective, every member must play a part. The “Strength in Numbers” chart on the IFT website will help you understand how you

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Together in our unions, we have more power to affect positive change as a united group than we would ever have alone. As a member of your local union or council at your workplace, you are undoubtedly already familiar with how that solidarity benefits you and those you serve.

But did you know that you also have the support of millions of other work-ing people across Illinois and the United States? As a member of an IFT-affiliated local union or council, you are automatically a member of the IFT and more than 100,000 members

why {IFT}


members are our real power. We’ve got to stand up together to call for a state that works and a state that provides a great education for all. We should accept no less,” he insisted. Since member mobilization is just one component of our fight, conference

participants also attended informativesessions from IFT Director of Commu-nications Aviva Bowen on effective messaging, and from Chris Goff, AFT Senior Associate, on a powerful new student debt campaign the national union will be launching soon. Conference business was conducted on Day 2, with subcommittee meet-ings to discuss the unique needs and challenges facing higher education

Members of IFT university and community college local unions and chapters gathered for the IFT Higher Education Conference in early October to discuss the higher education land-scape and how we can strengthen our unions to address the challenges we face.

Participants heard from several speakers on the first day of the annual event, including IFT President Dan Montgomery, who reminded them about the most effective way to counter the attacks on our unions and education. “We know the problem, but what’s the solution?” Montgomery asked. “It’s our members. We’ve got to rise up through our members because

MoreInformationFor information tailored to higher education members, visit ift-aft.org/your-work/higher-education.

Higher ed members focus on effective mobilization and communication

members in various settings, includingcommunity colleges, universities, and graduate employees. To better understand higher educa-tion’s financial plans, conference goers also listened to a presentation from Dr. James Applegate, Execu- tive Director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), about the board’s goal to increase the percentage of Illinois workers who hold college credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025. Applegate said reaching the goal is critical to fill a “skills gap,” reduce income inequality, and reduce the need for public assis-tance and other state services. But the future depends on what happens in Springfield, IFT Legislative Director Nick Yelverton told participants during a presentation about legislative action – and inaction – at the Capitol. He explained how Governor Rauner is holding the state budget hostage until lawmakers agree to strip union members of fundamental rights. It is clear, he said, that, “A workplace that includes the ability of workers to have a say in their own future is something that this Governor is fundamentally opposed to.” As always, mobilizing our members will be critical in the days ahead, he added.

“A workplace that includes the ability of workers to have a say in their own future is something that this Governor is fundamentally opposed to.”

The IFT Higher Education Constituency Council meets to discuss the unique challenges facing higher education.

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~ Nick Yelverton, IFT Legislative Director


“My experience as a PSRP made it clearer to me than ever before that we owe PSRPs our gratitude and respect.”

In the IFT and our local unions, PSRPs also play a critical role in making us strong. More than any other constituency in the IFT, PSRPs worked phone banks, knocked on doors, distributed fliers, and more to help protect our communities in the recent election.

So whether you work in a K-12 school building, on a college campus, or are a parent of a school-age child, you’re sure to know a PSRP who makes a difference every day! This PSRP Day – and every day – say “Thank You” to a PSRP in your life. Your well-deserved gratitude will be deeply appreciated.

could not serve patients, schools, colleges, and universities without PSRPs could not function effectively and students could not achieve their greatest potential.

That’s exactly what IFT President Dan Montgomery found out first hand when he spent a “day in the life” of some IFT PSRPs a few years ago. He wrote:

“The level of caring and commitment shown by each of the PSRPs I had the honor to observe and work along-side was nothing less than inspiring. But, let’s face it, most people are not aware of the work school support staff do. Perhaps that’s because when done well, their work is “invisible.” But what many do not understand is that it takes more than classroom teachers to ensure all those things happen. And without PSRPs, they simply would not.

Every day in schools, colleges, and universities across Illinois, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel (PSRPs) make a positive difference in the lives of students, families, and communities. But too often in our busy day-to-day lives we forget to simply say, “Thanks.”

That’s why in 2006, the third Wednesday of each November was declared “PSRP Day in Illinois” as an annual time to show appreciation for the more than 100,000 dedicated PSRPs who provide essential services in classrooms, offices, cafeterias, school buses, and more.

Though it sometimes goes unnoticed, the work of PSRPs is invaluable to ensuring that Illinois schools and higher education institutions run smoothly and efficiently and that students are in a safe, clean, and productive learning environment. Just like hospitals without doctors

CELEBRATE PSRPS

EVERY DAY!

MoreTipsFor more creative ways to say “Thanks,” follow IFT on Pinterest.

pinterest.com/IFTAFT

Thank a PSRP on November 18

IFT President Dan Montgomery spends a “day in the life” of PSRPs in recognition of PSRP Day.

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The East St. Louis Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 1220, ended its month-long strike on October 30. The 400 teachers and support staff had been working without a contract since August 2014 and had accepted three consecutive years of pay freezes to help the district get back on sound financial footing.

The decision to go on strike is never taken lightly, but the dedicated teachers and staff in East St. Louis made the sacrifice to win a contract that is both fair to them and the students and community they serve. Teachers and students returned to school on Monday, Nov. 2 in a new East St. Louis that they are building together.

“We are glad to finally be returning to our classrooms and the kids we love teaching,” said Local 1220 President Sharon Crockett. “And we’re so grate-

ful for the overwhelming support we received from our IFT brothers and sisters and other union members around the state. It was a difficult time and the words of encouragement and donations we received helped to carry us through.”

IFT members, leaders, and staff were among those who joined Local 1220 members to walk the picket lines, attend rallies, post messages of support on social media, sign petitions, and donate food and money to help support the strikers. Local 1220 members also received tremendous support from other unions, students, parents, and community members during their month-long struggle. Thanks to all those who supported our IFT brothers and sisters, and CONGRATULATIONS to the coura-

Members of the Rock Valley College Faculty Association on the lines at Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL.

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Read “Local News” in every issue of Union Link to learn about IFT locals’

milestones and accomplishments.

geous members of Local 1220 for staying strong and united until the fight was won. SOLIDARITY!

LOCALNewsRock Valley College faculty strike for a fair contract

Members more united as East St. Louis strike ends

After being forced to the picket lines by an immovable board of trustees, the 160 members of the Rock Valley College Faculty Association (RVCFA), IFT Local 6211, approved contract language to end a four-day strike in September.

“We are ready to get back to our classrooms and return to the work we love,” said Michael Youngblood, RVCFA President, after the faculty vote. “Right now we need to move forward to provide another great school year at Rock Valley College for our students.”

The professors at the community col-lege in Rockford negotiated in earnest for more than eight months with board

representatives before voting to strike. A key sticking point in bargaining was the board’s demand for health care cost increases that would have offset any salary increases and significantly harmed many union members and their families. Community and student support for the faculty was overwhelming throughout the walkout. IFT President Dan Montgomery, fellow union members from area colleges, and State Rep. Litesa Wallace visited the strike lines to show solidarity.

In the end, the faculty’s unity helped to secure a new five-year agreement and fight off board proposals that would have negatively impacted teaching and learning at the college.

East St. Louis Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 1220, walked the picket lines in October to secure a fair contract.

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LearnMoreSee the next Union Link and visit ift-aft.org for a complete list of 2016 primary Endorsements in February.

Advocating for members is the IFT’s top priority. Elected officials in Springfield and Washington, D.C., make decisions about funding for education and public services, class size, retirement security, medical benefits, and other issues that af-fect you. That’s why it is essential that we elect legislators who will stand up for our professions and those we serve.

The March 15, 2016, Illinois Primary is right around the corner, and the IFT is already preparing. To determine which

As outlined in Article XI of the IFT Constitution, regional PAC endorsements are reviewed by the statewide IFT PAC committee, and a final list of endorse-ments is sent to the IFT Executive Board for approval.

Regional PAC meetings for the March 2016 primary will be scheduled later this year, and final IFT endorsements are expected in February, 2016. If you are interested in participating or attending a meeting in your area, contact your local union president for more information.

candidates deserve our support, the IFT has developed and refined a democratic Political Action Committee (PAC) process that involves members at every level of the union. The PAC process helps us identify lawmakers and candidates who share our commitment to public education and services. Candidates who receive the IFT’s endorsement may also receive organizational and financial support from our union.

The PAC process is straightforward: The state is divided into 18 regions. Prior to each election, IFT members attend regional committee meetings and use voting records, position papers, candidate questionnaires, and other information to determine where candi-dates stand on the issues and whether they deserve the IFT’s endorsement.

Union looks ahead to the 2016 Primary Election

BE READY TO VOTE!

Election 2016 will be a critical one for education, public services, and workers across the country, and it starts with the Illinois Primary on March 15, 2016. Be sure your voice is heard by registering to vote now!

You can check your voter registration status at http://elections.il.gov/votinginformation/registrationlookup.aspx. If you need to register, there are two easy options:

REGISTER ONLINE. Use the Online Voter Application at https://ova.elections.il.gov/. (You may also use this site to update

your name and address on your existing voter registration.)

REGISTER IN PERSON. Visit your local election authority or driver’s license facility. (Proper identification will be required.)

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of activities that they can use to tell their stories and raise their voices.

“The Ambassador training presented many fantastic tools, and it was eye-opening to analyze how we present ourselves in our local union,” said Joe Carrington, IFT Ambassador and president of the Madison Federation of Teachers, Local 763.

With ongoing support and resources from the IFT, the first class of Ambassadors will take what they learned into their locals and communities as our union works at every level to face – and conquer – our challenges.


First class of IFT Ambassadors prepare to tell their stories

Joe Carrington, Local 763

Teresa Gresham, Local 3810

Barbara Harroun, Local 4100

Dewoun Hayes, Local 1600

Kai F. Hung, Local 4100

Anthony Johnston, Local 1600

Mae Hicks Jones, Local 3791

Cathleen Kollross, Local 604

Todd Lakin, Local 1600

Cathy Mannen, Local 1925

Sheenan Marcano, Local 1220

Mary E. Mueller, 1272

Michelle Nevin, Local 604

Barbara Outten, Local 1220

Claudine Sharko, Local 604

Eric Skalinder, Local 1

Andrew Spiro, Local 4408

Carlee Swanson, Local 4408

James Rivers Thompson, Local 1220

Dara Turnball, Local 1642

Erma Voss, Local 1

Jacob Welke, Local 683

Patricia Wesley, Local 504

Pauline Williams, Local 504

The 2015 class of IFT Ambassadors is:

Governor Rauner hasn’t started govern-ing, but instead continues to attack our members and our professions. The most compelling arguments to help us fight back don’t always come from elected union leaders, but from the professionals who do the work in classrooms, offices, cafeterias, and more each day. That’s why the IFT Department of Communications developed a dynamic new initiative – the IFT Ambassador Program.

The ongoing program will train teams of outstanding union members from around the state to help them share their personal perspectives and speak on behalf of us all to the media, fellow members, and the public.

The first group of 24 motivated Ambas-sadors started the program off with a bang this fall during an intense, two-day training at the union’s headquarters in Westmont. The members represent every IFT constituency group and geographic region of the state.

During the first weekend of training, Ambassadors learned how to develop an effective message, useful tactics to help share it, and best practices for proactive outreach to a variety of audiences. From practice doing on-camera interviews to learning to use social media tools, Ambassadors completed a round-robin

LearnMoreInterested in becoming an IFT Ambassador? Contact Jennifer Hill at [email protected].

Members from across the state, in every constituency, attended the first-ever IFT Ambassador Program training at the IFT Robert M. Healey Center in Westmont, Illinois.

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“ This is an absolutely essential program, because we need to send clear, powerful messages in our communities, and this training empowered us to do that. ”

~ Joe Carrington, IFT Local 763


IFT’s past and present AFT LEAD (Leadership Education and Develop-ment) program teams kicked commu-nity and member engagement into high gear this fall at back-to-school events and Labor Day celebrations around the state.

The first group of LEAD teams began the program in 2014, and the 2015 teams kicked off the program early this year. Though all teams start by assessing their unique challenges and setting custom goals, the LEAD program teaches that engaging members and the community is key to success, no matter what the end game.

“It’s been great to see our new LEAD teams showing union pride in their communities and schools in ways that establish lasting relationships with the community and members, which we know helps to strengthen our union,” said Kathy Shaevel, Director of Collective Bargaining and Illinois’ LEAD coordinator. “And it’s really exciting to know last year’s teams clearly learned that building community support and member activism isn’t a one-time effort; it is an ongoing commitment. That’s what LEAD is all about.”

WhyLEADTo learn more about AFT LEAD and how your local can participate, contact your IFT field service director.

LEAD teams focus on engaging members and communities

2015 LEAD team, the Champaign Federation of Teachers, Local 1925 supported their community in the recent Champaign Pride Parade.

The Wilmette Support Staff Union of Local 1274, a 2015 LEAD team, celebrates back-to-school in their new union shirts during a membership lunch and sign-up event.

2014 LEAD team, the Cahokia Federation of Teachers, Local 1272, celebrates Labor Day at a local community event.

East St. Louis Federation of Teachers, Local 1220, President Sharon Crockett (left) speaks with members and supporters before a demonstration at the district office to engage the entire community in their efforts to reach a fair contract.

The Belleville Federation of Teachers, Local 434, shows union spirit in their local Labor Day parade. The local is a 2015 LEAD participant.

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It goes without saying that this extended session of the General Assembly has been challenging for all Illinoisans. As I write this, there is still no FY16 budget in place, and the impact is being felt statewide. But as IFT members, we should note some good news and the valuable lesson there is to learn about the awesome power of our solidarity. Not sure what I mean? Just look at where things stand in Springfield today and you’ll understand. From the very beginning, Bruce Rauner made clear his single misguided purpose: to dismantle organized labor.

As Governor, he has fiercely sought to further his personal “turnaround agenda” against unions. He has attacked pensions. He has tried to eliminate unions’ ability to collect dues. And in ongoing negotiations with state employees, he is trying freeze pay, lay off workers, increase workloads, raise health insurance premiums, and more. This Governor is willing to do whatever it takes –

including holding the state budget hostage – to destroy unions. But despite his power and his money, Rauner hasn’t succeeded. Why? Because of us. In the IFT and from all corners of organized labor, union members are coming together, standing up, and speaking out for what is right for us and those we serve. We are refusing to allow our rights be stripped away, regardless of the Governor’s threats. And we have help in this fight. In Springfield, many lawmakers have stood with us and repeatedly rejected Rauner’s agenda. The Governor’s efforts to slash collective bargaining rights, dismantle prevailing wage laws, and destroy protections for injured workers have repeatedly failed in the House and Senate. Those supportive lawmakers deserve our thanks.

The Governor’s plan is failing because we are using our collective power to stop it. When we’ve lost a battle, we’ve learned from it. That is the case with Senate Bill 1229, legislation that would have allowed an independent arbitrator to impose a fair agreement if the Governor and unions reach an impasse in negotia-tions. We successfully urged lawmakers

in both chambers to pass the bill in May, but the Governor vetoed it. Senators overrode the veto in August, but the override came up just three votes short in the House despite your calls and emails. We did not fail; a few lawmakers failed us. We need to remain united. Governor Rauner continues to put his political priorities ahead of the state’s best interests by refusing to agree to a FY16 budget until lawmakers bow to his obsessive anti-union agenda. Because of his fixation, critical pro-grams that help our most vulnerable citizens are being cut or eliminated. And hundreds of thousands of state workers, retirees, and their families in self-funded and HMO health care plans may be forced to delay or forego critical treatment because the Governor has refused to pay their claims. The fight is not over, but we’ve already proven it’s a fight we can win. I urge every IFT member to stay informed, stay involved, and heed our union’s calls for action in the days ahead. Together we will continue to triumph if we all play a part.

Our collective power is making a difference

by Toby Trimmer, IFT Director of Political Activities

StayInformedFor the latest legislative developments, visit ift.aft.org/legislative/under-the-dome.

In Springfield, many lawmakers have stood with us and repeatedly rejected Rauner’s agenda...those supportive lawmakers deserve our thanks.

UNION LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

WINTER SESSIONFebruary 6-7, 2016

RMH Center, Westmont

For complete course descriptions and to register, visit ift-aft.org/ULI

AFT PSRP & HIGHER EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL ISSUES CONFERENCE

March 30, 2016 Las Vegas, NV

Illinois Federation of TeachersP.O. Box 390Westmont, IL 60559

Non-ProfitU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit no. 40

OAK BROOK, IL

CONNECTING YOU TO YOUR UNION, BECAUSE TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER.l nkU N I O N

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UL Fall 2015