Posts tagged Lori Lightfoot
Randi Weingarten Appointed to DHS School Safety Advisory Council
June 23, 2023 // In the fall of 2020, Weingarten denounced calls to reopen schools as “reckless, callous, cruel.” An AFT affiliate in Chicago similarly condemned then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2022, who called her efforts to reopen school “rooted in sexism, racism, and misogyny.”
Weingarten Called out for Perjury During House Oversight Hearing
May 5, 2023 // Even far-left mayor of Chicago Lori Lightfoot told CNN this week, Weingarten’s claims were “not the reality” of what unfolded under her reign. Congress must hold this radical union boss accountable for not only her crimes against children during the pandemic, but for committing perjury in the process of denying her nefarious actions.
Chicago teachers file unfair labor charge against teachers union
April 14, 2023 // Several rank-and-file members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) officially filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union for allegedly funneling membership dues to the union’s political action committee (PAC) without their approval. The money was used to support CTU-endorsed mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson. The CTU’s Members First Caucus filed the complaint with the Illinois’ Educational Labor Relations Board and demanded that the dues payments to PACs stop immediately. The caucus noted the complaint filing is not about politics, rather it is over CTU’s alleged deceit to funnel their union membership dues to a mayoral candidate that the caucus members do not support.
Measure Designed to Allow Nonprofit Employees to Unionize Advances Over Lightfoot’s Objection
March 15, 2023 // A measure designed to make it easier for workers at Chicago nonprofit organizations to unionize advanced Tuesday over the objections of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, a coalition of social service agencies and the Chicago Chamber of Commerce. After languishing in limbo for more than three years, the proposal — dubbed the Human Service Workforce Advancement Ordinance — now heads to the Chicago City Council for a final vote on Wednesday. A joint body made up of the committees on Health and Human Relations and Workforce Development advanced the plan Tuesday with a vote of 24-5 after a contentious two-hour meeting. Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Department of Public Health, urged City Council members to delay a vote on the proposal, saying it could have unanticipated consequences that could disrupt the organizations that make up the city’s social safety net.
Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff
March 1, 2023 //
She made history as Chicago mayor. Reelection may be harder
January 24, 2023 // Elected as a reform-minded outsider who would rid the city of pay-to-play politics, Lightfoot was criticized when a campaign staffer sent out an email to public school teachers seeking students to volunteer for the campaign in exchange for class credit. Lightfoot apologized, calling it a mistake. Inspectors general are reviewing for possible policy violations. Some of Lightfoot’s biggest battles have been with the Chicago Teachers Union, which backed her opponent in Lightfoot's first run for mayor. The two sides butted heads during an 11-day teachers strike in 2019 and bickered over returning to in-school instruction during the pandemic. This year, the teachers union has endorsed Lightfoot rival Brandon Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and former Chicago teacher and union organizer.
Lightfoot Campaign Asks CPS Teachers to Encourage Students to Help Her Win Reelection in Return for Credit
January 12, 2023 // Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates told WTTW News the campaign’s action was “unethical” and that she was concerned teachers who decline to volunteer for the mayor’s campaign, or encourage their students to do so, could face retaliation. The teachers’ union has endorsed Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson in the race for mayor. Johnson is a paid staff member of the union. Megan Crane, externship program, class credit, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates,
Chicago Principals A Step Closer To Unionizing As Bill Moves To Illinois Governor’s Desk
January 10, 2023 // Chicago’s principals have been unable to unionize because they were considered managerial employees under state law. HB 5107 changes the definition of managerial employees to district employees who have a significant role in the negotiations of collective bargaining agreements or who create employer-wide management policies and practices. The Chicago Principals and Administrators Association, a professional membership organization that advocates for issues affecting principals and administrators, has fought for years for this change. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Robert Peters,
Chicago union pushes progressive politics
December 19, 2022 // Chicago Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) recently announced that it will financially back mayoral candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia – instead of incumbent mayor Lori Lightfoot – with a $1 million commitment. This pledge will triple Garcia’s campaign fund up to about $1.6 million. IUOE Local 150 is the tenth-largest union associated with AFL-CIO. IUOE Local 150 spokesman Ed Maher told local media that the union’s political backing is due to the out-of-control “lawlessness” in the Windy City.
Chicago Teachers Union elects Stacy Davis Gates as new president, keeping CORE slate in power
May 24, 2022 // The COVID-19 pandemic arrived a short time later and only worsened the strain, as Lightfoot’s and CPS’ plans for reopening schools were delayed several times by union resistance. CTU won the right to bargain over the terms of teachers’ return and twice took formal action to refuse to teach in-person classes as it fought for more safety protections for staff and students.