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NEA Education Insider

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July 1, 2018

Respond to Supreme Court’s anti-union decision by taking the #RedForEd pledge

#redforedOn June 27, the last day of the session, the Supreme Court undermined the ability of unions and educators to come together and bargain collectively take actionon students’ behalf with its ruling in Janus v. AFSCME. In a 5-to-4 decision that cast aside decades of precedents and laws, the court eliminated public-sector unions’ ability to collect “fair share” or “agency” fees from workers who are not union members, but still benefit from union agreements and representation – for example, during grievance proceedings. “This case was nothing more than a blatant political attack to further rig our economy and democracy against everyday Americans in favor of the wealthy and powerful,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. We must respond by coming together to advocate for students like never before. Click on the button and take the #RedForEd pledge for public schools.

Tell senators to let voters speak before confirming Supreme Court nominee

supreme courtPresident Trump will soon send the Senate a nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement from the take actionSupreme Court on June 27. The president’s “shortlist” is marked by individuals with disturbing records of protecting the wealthy and powerful, but not the rights and freedoms of all Americans. The next Supreme Court justice could decide every issue we care about for decades to come. The last thing we need is another partisan justice who sides with big corporations over protecting health care, civil rights, and treating working people fairly. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) set the standard: no Supreme Court nominee should be considered before a consequential election like the one a few months from now, where control of the Senate is at stake. Click on the take action button and tell your senators not to confirm any Supreme Court nominee until after the November elections.

House defeats hateful anti-immigrant bill by big margin  

immigration rallyOnce again, your advocacy played a key role in an important victory. By a vote of 121-301, the House resoundingly rejected the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act (H.R. 6136) that wastes billions of dollars on a border wall, calls for detaining children and families seeking asylum, and does NOT offer a reasonable a path to citizenship – 82 percent of Dreamers would not be helped at all. NEA has long advocated for the bipartisan Dream Act of 2017 (S. 1615/H.R. 3440), the approach the vast majority of Americans support. But GOP leadership refuses even to allow a vote on the Dream Act. Stay tuned for further developments in future issues of the Education Insider.

Cheers and Jeers

thumbsupReps. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Terri Sewell (D-AL), John Lewis (D-GA), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), and Judy Chu (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), John Sarbanes (D-MD), and Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for their work highlighting discriminatory voting measures and the state of voting rights five years after Shelby County v. Holder, the landmark Supreme Court decision that gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act

thumbsupRep. Mike Bost (R-IL) for his response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME: “As a former union firefighter and the grandson of a United Mine Workers representative, labor is in my blood. Unions have played an instrumental role in strengthening the hand of America’s working men and women for generations. It is only right that workers who receive higher pay, benefits, and workplace protections contribute their fair share of the costs.  While this position may not always be popular in my party, for me it’s one that rises above politics.”

thumbsupNumerous Democrats who decried the Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME and expressed support for NEA and other unions

 

thumbsupSen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) for introducing and Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Catherine Cortez Masto.(D-NV), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for co-sponsoring the Senate version of the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act  (S. 3151) to ensure that public-sector employees have the legal right to form and join unions, and bargain collectively over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment

thumbsupRep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) for introducing and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Don Beyer (D-VA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Gene Green (D-TX), and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) for co-sponsoring the House version of the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act (H.R. 6238) to ensure that public-sector employees have the legal right to form and join unions, and bargain collectively over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment

thumbsdownSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for violating his own standard for Supreme Court nominees: “The American people are perfectly capable of having their say on this issue, so let’s give them a voice. Let’s let the American people decide,” he said in 2016.

Published weekly by the National Education Association. To subscribe: http://edadvocacy.nea.org.
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Message From IEA

We won’t give up advocating for our students

In a narrow decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today turned its back on the educators, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and public servants who make our communities strong and safe.

In Janus v. AFSCME, the court overturned common sense jurisprudence that was established more than 40 years ago. By overturning Abood, the court ruled non-members no longer have to pay fair share fees, but unions are still required by law to represent them. Allowing some to opt out of paying will make it harder for all public employees to provide the services that everyone depends on; it will be harder for our educators to advocate for our students and public education; and it will be harder for workers to join together in strong unions.

The key word here is harder, not impossible.

Let’s be clear, the goal of the people who supported this legal case, including Governor Rauner, is to try to silence IEA, NEA, local associations and other public employee unions. They want to stop us from using our collective voice to advocate for our students, for ourselves and for public education.

They will fail.

It has never been more vital that those of us who believe in fair contracts use our collective voice to make sure that all students have access to a high-quality public education. We will continue to spread the truth about the importance of union membership to all of our brothers and sisters working in schools.
We are aware that the Illinois Policy Institute is currently making plans for at least one campaign to try to get IEA members in fair share locals to cancel their membership. This campaign will likely try to convince you – by a letter sent to your home — that you can save your dues dollars each year by simply sending one pre-paid mailing to your school district to tell them to stop your payroll deduction and a second to your local to cancel your membership. The Policy Institute wants to make it very easy for you to do this because they know that fewer members in your local association means less power at the bargaining table – and that’s their goal. If you’re wondering, here’s a list of other things you would also lose if you cancel your membership.

But this won’t be the last you hear from the Policy Institute, or other entities, trying to get you to drop your membership. Their goal is to take power away from educators and our students.

This fight is just beginning. We won’t let them stop us. We will use their attacks to build a stronger IEA and we will move forward together because we know we are STRONGER UNITED.

In solidarity,

Kathi Griffin,
IEA President
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Janus Decision

NEA Home
PASS Members:
With its decision in Janus v. AFSCME, the U.S. Supreme Court today turned its back on American workers—the educators, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and public servants who make our communities strong and safe.

The Court’s ruling is a massive gift to the special interests and billionaires who already benefit from a system that is rigged in their favor and against the rights and freedoms of working people. They brought this case to silence our voice and make it more difficult to join together to advocate for our students and communities.

But make no mistake: we will not be silent. We are organized and determined to stand together and fight for the resources our students need to succeed.

Take the #RedForEd pledge and stand with NEA as we continue to build a strong union that advocates for the opportunity students need to succeed.
Add your name >
As we saw earlier this year in state after state that went #RedForEd, educators—joined by parents and community members—are a force to be reckoned with. We will do what it takes to roll back years of funding cuts and to make sure our students have up-to-date textbooks, desks and chairs that aren’t broken, the latest technology, and adequate school buildings.

Now, we must continue to build this movement by coming together to advocate for students like never before.

So whether you are an educator, parent, or community member, please show your support for strong public schools by taking the #RedForEd pledge today.

Thank you for your continued involvement with the National Education Association. Your support of great public schools for every child matters more and more every day.

In solidarity,

Lily Eskelsen García
President
National Education Association

P.S. For more information about today’s decision in the Janus case, read more at NEA Today.
PASS202

License Renewal Reminder!

For all Paraprofessionals (Teacher Aides),

 Another friendly reminder!

Time is running out.

 If you have not already renewed your license through ISBE please do so by June 30, 2018. If you do not have your license renewed by then there may be additional requirements that will be needed in order to renew. Without a license you also will not be able to continue to work as a Paraprofessional in the state. This is for those of you who got your license in 2013 as they are due for renewal every 5th year. The fee is $50 for another 5 years.