Corporate wealth is fueling these attacks because they want to eliminate unions, maximize their profits at the expense of their employees, and take away the collective voice of the working and middle class. The Janus case isn’t about what’s good for us or our students. It’s about making it harder for working people to get ahead, making it harder for us to stand united and fight for our students, our schools, our paychecks and our benefits. By standing united, we stay strong.

The IEA was organized by superintendents, principals, teachers and other friends of education in 1853 and was originally known as the Illinois State Teachers’ Institute. In 1936, our name was officially changed to the Illinois Education Association to better reflect our evolving mission. Learn more about the history of the IEA. In the more than 150 years we’ve been in operation, the IEA has achieved innumerable wins for both public education and our students.

Unions can provide all sorts of benefits not only in your workplace, but also outside of your workplace.  Your union gives you a strong collective voice, provides liability insurance, reimbursement for legal fees, advice on all sorts of work related matters and free professional development clock hours.  Download a list of all the benefits you get for being a member of the IEA. You also can get discounts on all sorts of things, including at Target, your cell phone bill, your car insurance and travel.