SPRINGFIELD – The following is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Kathi Griffin:
“Public education was on the ballot during this midterm election season, and our members made sure the best people for our students, our schools and our educators were elected. We are proud to say nearly all of our members’ recommended candidates won the office they were seeking. The candidates who chose to spread disinformation about our schools and our public education system were overwhelmingly rejected by the people of Illinois.
On top of that, we are thrilled Illinois continues to be one of the strongest labor states in the country. By passing the Workers’ Rights Amendment, we’ve helped protect the fundamental right to collectively bargain and organize by adding these rights to the state’s constitution, protecting the benefits and salaries of working people for years to come. It also prevents so called right to work laws from being enacted in the private sector in Illinois.
But our work does not end here. There are many anti-union, anti-public education groups looking to destroy public schools, so they can profit by privatizing our children’s education. We are looking forward to school board elections in the spring when we will continue working with parents to make sure those who are elected to serve as school board members put our students and their public education first.”
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At 135,000 members strong, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) is the largest union in Illinois. The IEA represents PreK-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty and support staff, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
