union link - spring 2106

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2 Our Path Forward Becoming the unionwe want to be. 4 Local News

Learn about IFT locals’ accomplishments. 7 April 1 Day of Action

Thousands of IFT members#FightForFunding. 11 shIFT into Action!

Save the date for the 2016 IFT Convention.

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

SPRING 2016

Rauner’s priorities are decimating higher education How we are fighting back

“We’re on the verge of dismantling the higher education system in Illinois.”

With Illinois approaching a year without a FY 2016 budget, Governor Rauner’s irresponsible priorities have created an epic crisis for students, colleges, universities, and communities in our state. It’s so serious that James Applegate, director of the state Board of Higher Education, recently warned the Senate Appropriations Committee that, “We’re on the verge of dismantling the higher education system in Illinois.” HOW BAD IS IT?Colleges and universities have been forced

to function without more than $1 billion in state support, and most have raided – and some have virtually depleted – their operating cash reserves. At the same time, Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for about 136,000 low-income students have been frozen, leaving them without critical financial assistance. More than 1,000 Illinois college students did not return for the second semester this year due to lack of MAP funding. The situation Rauner has created is simply unacceptable, and the damage he’s causing may be irreparable.

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In March, I attended the opening programfor the IFT-AFT LEAD (“Leadership Education and Development”) training. LEAD is an exciting way of helping locals and councils increase their abilities to engage members and get things done that are important to them. In short, it’s a great way we help union leaders work together as a team to more effectively be-come the powerful union they want to be.

At that opening session, leaders went around the room and stated what they

hoped to get out of the training. I was struck by the comments of Lorri Foockle from one of the IFT’s newest locals, the Illinois Valley Community College Support Staff, Local 6561. She stated that her team was there to determine “who we want to be as a union.”

I was really moved by this simple yet utterly clear expression of what we are all trying to do in our work. Who do we want to be as a union? That is a thought process and decision that cannot be done alone by the president and her team, or by the executive board; it must be a conversation with our members.

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

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© 2016 ILLINOIS FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFT, AFL-CIO

I am proud of the work that we have all done together in the past few years. When we look at how we have come together in unity to push back against the incredible assaults on educators and public employ-ees, on public education and the institutions where we work, our success inspires me.

On one February morning, teachers, sup-port staff, parents, students, administrators,and community members across the countrygathered outside to celebrate their beautiful public schools and held a “walk-in”

to show their unity. Our members in Lockport, McHenry County, Peoria, and Chicago all participated, and we expect more to do so in early May. I even joined one walk-in in Los Angeles, where I was attending the AFT Executive Council meeting. What amazing proof that the union our members want to be is one where they are active in positive work that unites us and the people we serve, that promotes our professionalism, that raises our voice.

In the March primary election, we dem-onstrated our prowess at getting members involved. Phone banks and precinct walks, for example, are the keys to electoral

Becoming the union we want to beDaniel J. MontgomeryPresident

OUR PATH FORWARD

E-mailDanWho do you want to be as a union?Send me an email at [email protected] and let me know.

That is a thought process and decision that cannot be done alone by the president and her team, or by the executive board; it must be a conversation with our members.

victory, and they only come when our members are engaged in the work, when they know what is at stake, and are asked to participate. When our members do that, they are deciding what kind of union we want to be.

And look at how our higher education chapters have banded together to fight for funding and, indeed, the survival of Illinois’ system of higher learning. The April 1st Day of Action that spanned locals across the state (too many to mention) demonstrates that our members want to be a union that fights forward and relies on its membership to create itself. With all the challenges facing us today—our irresponsible governor, rabid anti-union attacks, fiscal crises, criticalstate and presidential elections—we must first answer the essential question of “who do we want to be?” by raising our voices united in action as one IFT membership. Thank you for all your work and commitment.

In solidarity,

Dan

UNION LINK | SPRING 2016 3

To keep doors open, many institutions are taking drastic steps that are harming IFTmembers and our communities. At the time of this writing, universities and colleges across the state, including Southern, Eastern, and Western Illinois Universities, as well as John A. Logan and Parkland Community Colleges, had issued layoffs affecting several hundred employees. Eastern and Northeastern Illinois Universities are imposing mandatory unpaid furlough days for staff, and Chicago State University, which serves about 4,500 (mostly minority) students, is in a state of financial emergency. CSU issued layoff warnings to all 900 employees and canceled spring break in an effort to keep the school open through the current semester. To make matters worse, Moody’s credit rating service has warned that universities that suspend operations will risk losing accreditation, further jeopardizing the schools and their students’ futures. GOVERNOR TO BLAMEDespite the crisis he has created, Governor Rauner continues to focus on his personal agenda against ordinary people and our unions rather than pass a budget that will fund higher education. He has rejected Democratic lawmakers’ efforts to address the crisis and vetoed bills which would have funded MAP grants and higher education.

ReadMoreRead more about these actions in the “News” section of ift-aft.org and follow online using the hashtags #FundOurFuture and #FightForFunding.

IFT President Dan Montgomery responded: “Governor Rauner’s veto of tuition assistance for low-income students and funding for community colleges was expected but incredibly disappointing. It’s also hypocritical coming just two days after he delivered a speech touting education as his top priority....Refusing to ask the very wealthy to pay a dime more while students sacrifice and suffer at his hand reveals Governor Rauner’s true priorities, and investing in working families isn’t one of them.” In March, the Senate overrode the veto, but it was blocked by House Republicans. To add insult to injury, the Governor then proposed a 25 percent cut to higher education for FY 2017.

IFT, LOCALS FIGHTING BACKAll across the state, IFT members are joining with other groups to rally against the Governor’s actions. The IFT conducted an online petition campaign to call on the Governor to stop playing political games and pass a budget to fund higher education and MAP grants. To date, nearly 14,000 people have signed on. The union is also providing onsite staff support and other assistance to help bolster our locals’ efforts.

Rauner’s piorities are decimating higher education, continued from cover

IFT Local 4100 member Dr. Gabriel Gomez, a professor at cash-strapped Chicago State University, joined with other working people in Springfield to call for much-needed change.

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University Professionals of Illinois, IFT Local 4100, has called its members to action. The local’s #FundOurFuture cam-paign has generated a blizzard of phone calls to the Governor and inundated him with more than 16,000 signed postcards. Local members are also participating in rallies and protests with students and other community groups, and members have spoken out at press conferences and other events. To demonstrate their opposition to the crisis, Cook County College Teachers Union, IFT Local 1600, members have lobbied in Springfield and joined with other groups to protest the Governor’s inaction. IFT members from 4100, 1600, and other locals also participated in several events and rallies at campuses statewide, which were held in conjunction with the April 1st Day of Action. (See story, page 7.) The IFT and our locals will continue to strongly oppose any further cuts to higher education. Together we will raise our voices and demand that the Governor do the job he was elected to do – pass a budget that helps all Illinoisans, not just his wealthy donors.

UNION LINK | SPRING 20164

LOCALNewsUnion members and communities “walk in” and speak out together

IFT members statewide engaged parents, administrators, and their communities to draw attention to the challenges facing our public schools by holding“walk-ins” in February during a national day of action. The “Walk-Ins for the Schools All Our Children Deserve” were coordinated through the Alliance to Reclaim our Schools, a national coalition of organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), that have banded together for educational

justice and equity. About 800 walk-ins were held in 30 cities across the country. In Illinois, teachers and school staff joined with parents, students, and community members in Chicago, Woodstock, Lockport, Peoria, and more to rally and walk together into their schools as a symbol of hope and the power of community-based collective action. Their message was clear: All students deserve high-quality schools with adequate funding, a rich curriculum,

The McHenry County Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 1642, Woodstock Council, joined the call for good schools.

A poignant sign created by a member of Belleville Federation of Teachers, Local 434.

CTU Local 1 members conducted walk-ins with parents and students at more than 150 neighborhood schools.

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and a voice on the job for teachers and school staff.

This message is more important than ever in our state, where, on the same day as the walk-ins, Governor Rauner delivered his second budget address – despite the fact that he had yet to negotiate and enact a first budget over a year into his term. As he continues to hold the state hostage to his political priorities, regular people are suffering.

At the walk-ins held around the state, participants called for Rauner to stop playing games and put Illinois kids and families first.

Additional walk-ins are being planned around the country on May 4. Email [email protected] to learn how your local or council can participate.

Members of the Fairmont Council of AFT Local 604 called for “the schools all our children deserve” at their February walk-in.

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Thanks to union-community teamwork, a powerful effort to establish a collaborative school board in Peoria came full circle in March with two big election wins. Three years ago, the Peoria Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 780, and the Peoria Federation of Support Staff, IFT Local 6099, united with the community group Change 150 to improve the hostile climate that existed between the superintendent and board on one hand and the teachers and parents on the other. Local 780 President Jeff Adkins-Dutro explained, “We had a tyrannical superin-tendent who was creating a climate of bullying and conflict and alienating teachers and the community,” he said. “We realized that by building bridges with the community, we could show that teachers are a voice of reason and the foundation of our district.” The unions and Change 150 decided to “flip” the board of education. Working together, they devised a three-year plan to elect friendly candidates to the board who would work with teachers and parents, not alienate them.

So in 2014, the union-community part-ners endorsed a candidate who unexpect-edly dropped out of the race at the final moment, but still won an impressive 3-to-1 victory. The win left an open seat on the board and set the stage for change. Inspired and mobilized, in 2015 the union-community team stepped up its efforts: they endorsed and campaigned for two candidates, and one was elected. “At that point, the superintendent resigned and a new one was hired who understands the importance of collabo-rating with the union and the community. Our union even had a seat on the hiring committee,” said Adkins-Dutro. Those positive changes helped ensure a big win for both of their endorsed candidates in the recent election. “There are now just two out of the original seven members remaining on our board,” said Adkins-Dutro. “By joining with our community, we went from being a district embroiled in conflict to one moving forward together under a new spirit of collaboration and respect. Most importantly, we established a positive climate that can help us ensure our students’ success,” he added.

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

milestones and accomplishments.

Union-community partnership brings positive change to Peoria

100 YEARSAmerican Federation of Teachers

Chicago Teachers Union, Local 1 75 YEARSThornton Fractional High School Federation of Teachers, Local 683

60 YEARSCahokia Commonfields Federation of Teachers, Local 1272

North Suburban Teachers Union, Local 1274

25 YEARSKaskaskia Community College Federation of Teachers, Local 4756

10 YEARSBelleville District 118 Building Administrative Assistants, Local 6351

O’Fallon Support Personnel, Local 6353

Happy Anniversary to IFT Locals and Councils!The IFT is made up of almost 200 local unions and councils that are the source of our collective strength across the state. In 2016, the IFT wants to recognize and honor the following local unions and councils for their long-term dedication and commitment to the labor movement and the memebers we serve. The follow-ing locals and councils are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year: Members of Locals 780 and 6099 gather prior to marching in the Peoria Labor Day Parade.

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PHOTO TO COME

SpeakUpHave a milestone coming up?Contact [email protected].


entire budget – with the exception of K-12spending. (Later, Rauner would propose a similarly unbalanced budget for FY17.) Rauner’s total veto set the stage for a battle royale. He has traveled the state demanding reforms to the state’s procurement system, worker’s compen-sation, and pensions before he will agree to a budget. So the state has no budget, but government still functions through a series of continuing appropriations and court- ordered payments called consent decrees. The good news is payments are being made. The bad news is that this “auto- pilot” budget is estimated to be $4-6 billion in the red. Compared to the budget he vetoed last spring, Governor Rauner has doubled the state’s deficit spending. Make no mistake – people are angry. Recent polls show that voters view the Governor more unfavorably today than at any other point since he took office. But it’s not just poll data that shows people are ready to rebuke the Governor’s agenda. For example, when Rauner pushed local communities to introduce and pass his local “right-to-work” ordinance – essentially stripping away union rights one town at a time and driving down wages – voters showed up in droves and over-whelmingly either refused to consider the initiative or rejected it outright.

Since taking office, Governor Rauner has been relentless in his effort to reduce state services and restrict workplace rights. Throughout his crusade, he has ignored the fact that citizens depend on these vital programs, and working people value their rights. Rauner has pushed our state into its most dire financial situation yet. As of mid-April, Illinois had earned the unenviable designation as the only state in the country without a budget. The absurdity of this situation has to be stated. Last June, the Illinois House and Senate passed a FY16 budget that Governor Rauner criticized because it appropriated more spending than pro-jected state revenues. Keep in mind that Governor Rauner has the constitutional authority to reduce or eliminate any spending line. He could have balanced the budget and moved on to other issues impacting the state. Instead he vetoed the

Rebuking Rauner When he tried to reward Chicago Democrat State Rep. Ken Dunkin for his votes to harm seniors, children, and public employees, voters sent a clear message – no thanks. Dunkin was challenged by Juliana Stratton. Spending a fraction of the money Rauner’s allies poured into the Dunkin campaign and relying on a strong coalition of labor supporters, Juliana Stratton soundly defeated Ken Dunkin 68-32.! When he tried to punish downstate Republican Sen. Sam McCann for his vote to support workers, voters sent the same loud message – no thanks. McCann was challenged by Rauner’s candidate, Bryce Benton. A Rauner-funded political action committee spent millions attacking McCann, but again, relying on a strong coalition of labor at the grassroots level, McCann defeated Bryce Benton 53-47. These were tremendous victories, and we should be proud of our work. However, the fight is far from over. We must continue organizing our members, contacting legislators, and partnering with others in our communities. We must educate lawmakers who side with Governor Rauner in this fight about the impact of their actions on those they were elected to represent. Together, we will continue to win.

ESSA — work remains in Illinois In December 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The new federal law ends the fixation on high-stakes testing, including AYP and school closings. ESSA sends a clear signal to states that the policies of No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and waivers should be abandoned. It also maintains funding for the students who need it most, maintains paraprofessional certification, prohibits federal mandates on any aspect of a teacher or principal evaluation system, and turns many other responsibilities over to the states. Unfortunately, there are many Illinois state laws still in effect that need to change before we can realize the new flexibility allowed under ESSA. The State Board of Education has been holding town hall meetings across the state to gather feedback. Already, several IFT members have attended events to share their perspective.

by Michelle Paul IFT Director of Political Activities

Learn more about the Every Student Succeeds ActTo learn more or find upcoming opportunities to make your voice heard, check out the following resources:

• ift.aft.org/ESSA

• isbe.net/ESSA

• aft.org/ESSA


MoreInformationView a video and slideshow of the day’s events and read more about how we made our voices heard during the Day of Action at ift-aft.org.

schools and workplaces via social media using the hashtags #FundOurFuture and #FightForFunding. University Professionals of Illinois (UPI), IFT Local 4100, President John Miller pronounced: “…The governor’s vetoes and irrespon-sible refusal to pass a budget until legislators give in to his political demands have created a serious crisis. “We are proud to stand together on this day of action and send a strong message to Governor Rauner,” Miller added. “It’s time to fund out future,

From Lake County to Chicago to Belleville and many places in between, IFT members banded together in a show of strength during a Day of Action on April 1 to demand that Governor Rauner drop his irresponsible political priorities and pass a budget that serves all Illinoisans, not just the wealthy few. In one loud voice, we sent the Gover-nor our undeniable message: Enough is enough - it’s time to fund our future! It was a remarkable demonstration of collective action, as thousands of members took to the streets to rally in Chicago, at campus demonstrations at colleges across the state, and in public

Thousands of IFT members fight for funding on statewide Day of Action

Chicago public school students support their teachers and join the fight for funding.

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IFT Local 504 members from West Oak Middle School show solidarity on Day of Action.

Chicago Public School student on the way to the Day of Action rally at the James R. Thompson Center.

UPI Local 4100 members rally for funding at Western Illinois Univerisity.

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not reward the most wealthy while everyone else suffers.”

Day of Action events included a one-day, citywide strike by the Chicago Teachers Union, IFT Local 1 and massive marches, rallies, teach-ins, and other community actions organized by IFT higher education locals across the state, including:

• Chapters of the University Professionals of Illinois (Local 4100)

• Cook County College Teachers Union (Local 1600)

• The Federation of College Clerical and Technical Personnel (Local 1708) • UIC United Faculty (Local 6456)

Let’s keep it going strong! Have one-on-one conversations with your colleagues, family, and friends about how Governor Rauner’s political agenda is harming our communities.

Together, we can pressure the Governor to do his job and serve all Illinoisans, not just the wealthy few.


really invested in my community and my students. My students know I care about them, and I hope my success is inspirational to them.

My union, the Peoria Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 780, understands the importance of teacher diversity and supports my efforts to bring GYO back to Peoria. I’ve been named the local’s Grow Your Own advocate, a role I take very seriously.

Our community wants great teachers. GYO graduates have high GPA’s, continue our education by pursuing master’s degrees, and are invested in our communities. We teach children that they can be successful, inside and outside the classroom.

Grow Your Own created new possibilities for me. I know there are others who want to become teachers but who, just like me, need a few doors opened and some en-couraging words. With the support of my union, I’m committed to helping them do that in my community and others.

LearnMoreLearn more about the Grow Your Own Teachers program at growyourownteachers.org.

races to dispel negatives stereotypes they may be exposed to.

I’m a black woman. I am educated. I have a career. I have a family. I am from this community. And as a proud graduate of GYO, I know how beneficial it is – for participants and their students.

Before entering the program in 2008, I had no idea how I was going to complete my teaching degree. I was juggling school, family, work, and financial challenges. But the amazing support I received from GYO peers and mentors encouraged me to reach my goal.

I also received training and leadership development, networking opportunities, and a stipend. I was able to go full-time to Bradley University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.

I’m now entering my fifth year of teaching at Trewyn K-8 School in Peoria. Many of our teachers live in surrounding communities. There is nothing wrong with that, but you do see things through a different lens when you live and work here. I see students and parents on my block and at the grocery store. I’m

Governor Rauner is attacking everyday men and women and misleading the public about the unions that give us a collective voice. It’s time we tell #TheWholeStory.

This special section on ift-aft.org and social media is a place to tell the real-life stories of educators and other public servants who go above and beyond for our kids and communities. Check out this “The Whole Story” excerpt below from Local 780 member Linda Wilson.

by Linda Wilson, member of the Peoria Federation of Teachers, IFT Local 780

Grow Your Own program increases teacher diversity in schools

As a lifelong resident of Peoria and a teacher in District 150, I care deeply about our community and the 14,000 students we serve. About 55 percent of our students are African American, but less than 7 percent of our teachers are. The district also has a growing number of Latino students, yet Latino teachers are significantly underrepresented on staff, and male teachers are in short supply, too. That’s why I’m committed to bringing the Grow Your Own Teacher program back to Peoria schools.

Grow Your Own Teachers (GYO) is designed to recruit and retain diverse candidates to become teachers in their own communities. For minority children and those with few resources, it is impor-tant they have role models to relate to.

And research suggests that white children benefit from having teachers of other


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IFT

“We are a community-involved school. If you want to get involved, we have a place for you,” said Jason Merel, a Chicago Teachers Union, IFT Local 1, member who teaches social studies at Nettelhorst School. Inspired by the school’s strong connection to the community, last year Merel decided to engage parents, students, his family, and his union in his effort to launch a student debate team.

Merel started the team at the suggestion of a former student-teacher and avid debater. She helped him get the club up-and-running, and soon 20 students were participating. But to be included in the Chicago Debate League, his club needed to raise thousands of dollars.

“With funds being so scarce at our schools, it’s hard to make the case to the principal, ‘Contribute $3,000 to a team of 20 kids out of a school of

750.’ It just wouldn’t be fair to the other programs,” Merel said.

So he came up with an idea that served two purposes – supporting the debate team and standing in solidarity with his local during their ongoing, difficult negotiations with the Chicago Board of Education.

Merel devised a plan to work with a colleague at his school and a family member who is a graphic designer to create union solidarity t-shirts. Proceeds from the shirt sales to fellow union members would benefit the fledg-ling debate team, and their proud solidar-ity message would increase the local’s strength during contract talks.

After developing designs, Merel worked with his wife and a printer to create a distribution plan. What started small became a full-scale operation, so family

members and colleagues were enlisted to help. Eventually Merel reached out for community support, and a local coffee shop owner agreed to sell the shirts.

He also made a connection on social media, where the online store, “Revolu-tionary Lemonade Stand,” agreed to sell the union shirts too.

The success of the sales has helped to display union pride in his school and the community. It’s also making a real difference for students, Merel said. Kids on the Nettelhorst debate team are learning to think critically and realizing the importance of using evidence to support their claims – in debates and in life.

“They all have these tools and we sharpen them together,” described Merel. “I don’t teach every middle school student, but I see debaters every day. They love arguing. I’ve never met a middle school student who didn’t love arguing,” he joked.

The team had its first intramural debate earlier this year and plans to join the Chicago Debate League in the fall. Merel says, despite the many challenges, the project has been 100 percent worthwhile.

“I do this because I love it,” explained Merel. “I fight for my students, their families, our community: I want a better world.” WATCH THE VIDEO highlighting Merel’s story on ift-aft.org/news/thewholestory.

Chicago teacher Jason Merel, (pictured with his wife, Annie) wanted to show solidarity with his union -- Chicago Teachers Union -- during contract negotiations.

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Read “I am IFT” in every issue of Union Link to learn how your fellow members are Powering Forward.

LearnMoreTo learn more about how IFT members excel in the workplace and their communities, visit ift-aft.org/iamift.

CTU member bridges gap between community and classroom


ReadMoreRead more about Teir II concerns in Illinois Issues at http://tinyurl.com/pensiontimebomb.

A new study confirms what the IFT has said all along: Illinois’ Tier II pension plan is unfair and woefully inadequate for newer teachers. Worse yet, it’s harming education in our state. Education Week recently reported on the alarming findings in the study by Bellwether Education Partners, a Washington consulting firm. “Seventy-eight percent of newly hired teachers in 2014 are expected to leave the Illinois teaching workforce before teach-ing 26 years, the point at which a teacher

“breaks even” on her contributions. This means that over three-quarters of the state’s newly hired teachers will not receive any positive accrual of retirement benefits,” reported the study.

So, a majority of Tier II participants will be shortchanged, and many will receive less money upon retirement than they paid into the plan during their careers. That’s not just unfair, it’s unacceptable. Lawmakers spent decades under-funding Illinois’ pension systems and created the crisis the systems face today. But the Tier II plan passed by the General Assembly in 2011 is not a fair answer to our pension woes. Compared to their Tier I colleagues who were hired prior to January 1, 2011, Tier II members must work five years longer to be vested in the system and are not

We Are One coalition flatly rejected the illegal and purely political plan. Earlier this year, he announced his support for a so-called “consideration” model, which would offer public employees a “choice” between two diminished benefits while eliminating workers’ rights to bargain salary increases with their employers.

The IFT and our coalition will continue to advocate for our members to address this important issue and find fair, legal solutions.

eligible to retire until age 67 — as many as 12 years more than those in Tier I. The result is drastically lower benefits for newer members – so much so that our union, some lawmakers, and others consistently question whether the plan is even legal because benefits may be less than Social Security, the minimum standard required by federal law.

If it goes unaddressed, the state could find itself fighting another costly legal battle, like the one it lost last year when

pension-slashing SB 1 was declared unconstitutional. Most troubling, though, is the damage being done to teaching and learning under Tier II. “Ultimately, this not only puts teachers’ financial futures at risk, but it also could have long-term effects on whether the state can ensure a sufficient, stable teaching force. It makes it a very precarious situation,” said an author of the Bellwether study. But rather than work to find a fair and legal path for pension funding, the Governor has pushed his irresponsible priorities. Last year, he suggested that Tier I members accept lesser benefits by essentially forcing them into a new Tier III plan. His proposal included a “poison pill” to restrict collective bargaining rights. The IFT and our partners in the

New study confirms Tier II pensions are inadequate, harmful to education

But rather than work to find a fair and legal path for pension funding, the Governor has pushed his irresponsible priorities.

LEARN MORE ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT AFFECT YOUR RETIREMENT SECURITY! Watch the next issue of UnionLink for the first in a two-part special series about Illinois public pension systems from Mitch Vogel, former University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100, president and past SURS Annuitant Trustee. Take a look at the information in “Retiring Wisely,” a guide provided by the IFT Retirees Chapter. When you decided to retire, you will be armed with the knowledge you need to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

educate. organize. win.

INTO

IFT CONVENTIONOctober 14-16, 2016

Marriott St. Louis Grand

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DELEGATE REPRESENTATION

Delegate representation is based on the IFT Constitution; Article VIII, Section 4, and By-Laws; Article IV, Section 4. Delegate representation to the IFT Convention shall be determined as follows: one delegate to the IFT Convention may be elected by each affiliated local having a membership of twenty-five or less. For each seventy-five members or major fraction thereof, one additional delegate may be elected. Membership is based on the average per capita tax payments to the IFT for the September 1 through June 30 period immediately preceding the IFT Convention. The IFT President shall notify the Executive Board and the President of each IFT local of the average per capita payments of the September 1 to June 30 period immediately preceding the IFT Convention by July 15 of the convention year.

All resolutions, amendments, and credentials are to be sent to:Illinois Federation of Teachers • 500 Oakmont Lane • Westmont, IL 60559

RESOLUTIONS DUE AUGUST 19

All resolutions must be submitted to the IFT Westmont office in proper form.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS DUE AUGUST 31

All constitutional amendments must be submitted to the Executive Board forty-five days prior to the beginning date of the IFT convention.

CREDENTIALS DUE OCTOBER 1

All delegates’ credentials must be submitted to the Credentials Committee fourteen days prior to the beginning date of the IFT Convention.

NOMINATION PROCESS FOR IFT OFFICER ELECTIONS

The election of IFT President, Secretary-Treasurer, Executive Vice-President and Vice-Presidents will occur at the union’s convention: October 14-16, 2016, at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel. The procedure for nominations is conducted in accordance with the IFT By-Laws, Article II, Section 4 and Article V, Section 1, which reads as follows:

(Article II, Section 4): The Nominating Committee shall (a) in May prior to an IFT Convention, notify members of nomination and election procedures; (b) accept nomination petitions at any time but not later than 10 a.m. on the day of elections at the IFT Convention; (c) validate petitions based on candidate eligibility and delegate signatures; and (d) report qualified nominees to the IFT Convention.

(Article V, Section 1): Nominations for the offices of President, Secretary-Treasurer, Executive Vice-President and forty Vice-Presidents shall be by petition signed by at least ten delegates and presented to the nominating committee no later than 10 a.m. on the day of the election.

The nomination form will be posted on the IFT website, ift-aft.org.

Questions about the nominations process should be directed to David Richmond at [email protected] or 630/468-4080.

The official 2016 IFT Convention Call was sent to every local president in April.UNION LINK | SPRING 2016 11

UNION LEADERSHIP INSTITUTENEW! SUMMER SESSION

June 8-10 IFT Office, Peoria

GREAT LAKES ULIJune 26-30

Lake Lawn Resort, Delavan, WI

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

SAVE THE DATEIFT CONVENTION

October 14-16 St. Louis, MO

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.

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ILLINOIS FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

UPCOMING EVENTS

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educate. organize. win.

INTO

IFT CONVENTIONOctober 14-16, 2016

Marriott St. Louis Grand

union link - spring 2106

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