The IEA is a member of the May Day Strong coalition, this work falls under the umbrella of the United We Win campaign. In the face of ongoing, escalating attacks on public education and unions, there has been no moment in our lifetimes more important to our future. Working people are rising up across the country through the May Day movement. IEA members are joining other laborers, parents, educators, immigrants, students and neighbors, demanding stronger, safer and more dignified communities.

Across Illinois, from Bloomington to Bourbonnais, Maywood to Mount Vernon and Rockford to Rushville, the vast majority of students attend schools that are chronically underfunded. In fact, 80% of our public schools are not receiving the financial support they need. At the same time, we are confronting a barrage of attacks: proposed cuts to Medicaid, which provides healthcare for more than 40% of our students; reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would mean children are coming to school hungry and unable to learn; and the possibility of billions of dollars in federal education funding being stripped from our state.

Behind these attacks are powerful billionaires like Dick Uihlein, Linda McMahon, and Betsy DeVos, who are looking to privatize public education, profit off our students and weaken the unions that stand in their way. Their efforts threaten our democracy and the future of our public schools.

This moment demands we stand up and stand together. We must support workers, students and communities over the ultra-rich. We know that strong unions mean stronger schools.

On May 1, in over 100 cities, we will join and host May Day Strong events to honor the legacy of the workers who gave everything for the eight-hour work day and to carry their struggle into today’s fight for a country that serves the many, not the few. Leading up to that, we are encouraging all our locals to host solidarity United We Win walk-ins to help us build momentum for a massive May Day mobilization.

Each walk-in is an opportunity to stand united for our students, our communities and all workers. By organizing locally and coming together with other unions through the May Day Strong coalition, we can build a movement that protects public education, strengthens our democracy and ensures every student has access to a high-quality public education and the fully-funded schools they deserve. United we win!

Walk-ins are positive actions that build solidarity among educators, students and the school community. Walk-ins build relationships and serve as a visible reminder of our collective power. During school walk-ins, parents, educators, and students, along with neighbors and community leaders, gather in front of their school 30-45 minutes before the school day begins. A walk-in may include a rally, inviting special guests from the community to speak, rallying with signs– or it can be as simple as wearing red and walking in together as a local.