American Federation of Teachers spends little on teachers, lots on staff

By Mailee Smith

11/27/2024

The American Federation of Teachers’ recent federal filing showed just 36% of the national union’s spending was on representing teachers. More than two-thirds of its own employees made six-figure salaries.

TAGS: AFT: American Federation of Teachers, unions

Illinois Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers spend a lot, but not on teachers

By Mailee Smith

08/07/2024

The federal filings of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, reveal questionable spending, with little spent on representing teachers, millions spent on politics and deficit spending while the big boss got $500K.

TAGS: AFT: American Federation of Teachers, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, unions

Union membership in Illinois hits record low

By Mailee Smith

01/24/2024

Public and private sector unions in Illinois saw another 27,000 workers reject union membership in 2023. Just 12.8% of public and private-sector workers chose union membership, the lowest it’s been in 34 years on record.

TAGS: unions

Report claims union support is increasing, but not for Illinois government unions

By Mailee Smith

09/15/2023

A recent report by a pro-union Illinois organization claims nationwide support for unions is increasing, including in Illinois. The Illinois part is wrong, at least for government unions. Here are three things you need to know about Illinois unions.

TAGS: unions

Union control: 9 of 10 Illinois lawmakers have received money from unions

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

07/06/2023

Current lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly have received $60.2 million in contributions from unions since 2010. Most of that cash went to Democrats.

TAGS: unions

Illinois union membership shrinks by 17,000 in 2022

By Mailee Smith

01/23/2023

The drop in union membership for Illinois workers follows a 33-year downward trend, moving from more than 1-in-5 workers being in a union, to nearly 1-in-8.

TAGS: Illinois, unions

Illinois already has most extreme labor laws in U.S.

By Mailee Smith, Hannah Schmid

11/04/2022

Illinois law already allows some government union contracts to override state law. Amendment 1 would allow all government union contracts to do so.

TAGS: Amendment 1, labor, unions, workers rights amendment

Labor poll finds unions fall short improving engagement, work life

By Patrick Andriesen

09/02/2022

A poll found most nonunion respondents were not interested in joining organized labor, reporting higher levels of job satisfaction and engagement than their union counterparts. One in 4 union members reported being “actively disengaged” at work.

TAGS: unions

Fact check: Unions backing Amendment 1 killed bill to help nurses

By Dylan Sharkey

08/12/2022

A new ad falsely claims Amendment 1 will protect nurses’ rights at private children’s hospitals. The same government unions who paid for the ad ended legislation that truly would have helped nurses.

TAGS: Amendment 1, nurses, unions

‘Workers’ Rights Amendment’ website ignores tax hike

By Patrick Andriesen

08/11/2022

The government union-backed website claims Amendment 1 would put more money in the pockets of working Illinoisans, but the change could only benefit the 7% who are government employees. All families would pay $2,149 more in property taxes.

TAGS: Amendment 1, property tax, unions, workers rights

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and last among Midwest states...

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Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

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Brandi Lentz

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students