Posts tagged Illinois
Commentary: The Federal Government Just Moved to Restore the Owner-Operator Model – Here Is What Actually Changed, What Did Not, and What You Still Need to Watch
March 16, 2026 // Three times in five years. That is how many times the federal standard governing whether an owner-operator is legally classified as an independent contractor or an employee has fundamentally shifted under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The 2021 Trump rule. The 2024 Biden rule. And now, on February 27, 2026, the Department of Labor’s formal proposal to rescind the 2024 rule and return to something close to the 2021 framework. Each time this pendulum swings, the trucking industry produces a wave of celebration or alarm depending on which direction it moved. The industry’s reaction to this latest move has been heavily celebratory — and not without reason. But if you are running a small fleet or operating as an owner-operator, the celebration needs to come with a clear-eyed understanding of what this rule change actually does, what it does not do, and where the real risk to your business model still sits.
With teachers union support, committee approves charter school mandates
March 16, 2026 // An Illinois lawmaker’s union-backed proposal to place new mandates on charter schools in the state is generating debate. State Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, told the Illinois Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday she has been working on Senate Bill 3391 for a couple of years. The Chicago Teachers Union supports the legislation. CTU Legislative Director Hilario Dominguez said Chicago Public Schools spent about $35 million stabilizing failed charter operators.
CTU plans to join May 1 ‘no school, no work’ day of action, wants classes canceled
March 14, 2026 // On Wednesday the union’s 730-member House of Delegates approved a resolution to join a national movement calling for a day of “no school, no work, no shopping.” Participants plan to call for higher taxes on the wealthy, better-funded schools, protections for immigrants and other reforms. Union leaders cited several reasons for participating, including to “demand ICE out of our cities,” referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and “tax the rich to support our schools and vital services,” according to the resolution. It also says public education is facing attacks from “MAGA politicians” who support the policies of President Donald Trump and “corporate interests.”
IL Labor Relations Board director: Rideshare unionization bill could double budget
March 12, 2026 // SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup told the Illinois Senate Labor Committee on Tuesday that SB 2906 would require rideshare companies to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement if organizers get support from 30% of active drivers. Illinois Labor Relations Board Executive Director Kimberly Stevens told the committee that the bill’s 20-cent per ride administrative fee on riders would be an issue.
Debate grows as states consider teacher strike bans
March 9, 2026 // Many states are considering new policies affecting teachers’ ability to strike or participate in protests, and education officials and labor advocates continue to debate the legality of teacher strikes. The strikes are banned or heavily restricted in roughly 38 states and Washington, D.C.
Op-ed: Chicago Teachers and Students Deserve Better
March 8, 2026 // Concerns about oversight extend beyond the union itself. Reports from inspectors general in Chicago Public Schools have identified troubling issues, including fraud tied to falsified enrollment data in the American Indian Education program, which forced the district to repay $1.2 million in federal funds covering the years 2016 through 2023. Spending patterns have also raised eyebrows. District travel costs increased dramatically, from roughly $300,000 in 2021 to nearly $8 million in 2024, covering extensive travel and accommodations at a time when many families and educators were focused on recovering from pandemic learning loss. Meanwhile, student outcomes remain deeply concerning. Only about 18 percent of CPS students in grades three through eight are proficient in math, and just 31 percent are proficient in reading.
Op-ed: ‘The issue is the revolution’: Who is running your city’s teachers union?
March 4, 2026 // Under the banner of “social justice unionism,” teachers’ unions are increasingly treating classrooms, teachers, and even students as instruments in a wider ideological project — one organized, replicated, and funded across the nation. This shift helps explain why contemporary political controversies are now being filtered into elementary, middle and high schools. As one activist leader put it during the NEA Educators for Palestine webinar, the anti-ICE movement is “the spark that could ignite the fire under Labor.” As the saying goes, “The issue is never the issue — the issue is the revolution.”
Op-ed: Why is Government Empowering Public Sector Unions?
February 26, 2026 // Government empowers unions, and unions use that power to protect themselves. Forget any potential harm to taxpayers. The irony here is that union members are also taxpayers. So, in effect, unions are hurting their own members. But union leadership doesn’t think about that. Leadership is more interested in keeping their power and clout.
Opinion: Teachers Unions Get Desperate
February 17, 2026 // Antichoice plaintiffs “usually file lawsuits right before families sign up for the program just to be particularly cruel. They know they’ll lose nearly every case, but delaying or enjoining the programs in any way is the last-ditch effort to slow maximum uptake for families,” says Tommy Schultz, CEO of the American Federation for Children. Many suits are striking out. Idaho’s high court just ruled 5-0 in favor of the state choice program. Top courts in Arizona, Florida, North Carolina and West Virginia have upheld choice programs. The U.S. Supreme Court has continued to issue beneficial rulings. Yet the legal threat is real, and unions, often accompanied by local school districts, continue to throw millions at litigation and disruption, forcing states to spend huge amounts to defend against them. Then the unions and the districts claim schools are underfunded.
Lawmakers join Chicago Teachers Union to push for more school funding
February 12, 2026 // State lawmakers have introduced legislation backed by the Chicago Teachers Union to immediately increase evidence-based funding and additional public school services. Republicans say Illinois' taxes already are too high. State Sen. Graciela Guzmán, D-Chicago, is a former CTU organizer.