Now more than ever, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), with our national and local unions, are at the forefront of advocacy and safety, of advocating for students, our members and all workers. more

Illinois voted overwhelmingly for pro-education and pro-labor candidates endorsed by the IFT. more

“We support Governor Pritzker’s decision to close Illinois schools to prevent further spread of COVID-19." more

The union wants you to be prepared for COVID-19 in your home and workplace. more

Legislative update for the week of 2/17/2020 more

Highlights from this issue include: IFT primary election endorsements, tackling racism in our union, Fair Tax, and more. more

A Fair Tax is needed to pay for our state's priorities more

Since the fall veto session, more than 1,500 bills have been introduced. more

IFT President Dan Montgomery's statement responding to the Chicago Tribune's and ProPublica's investigative report on the use of isolated seclusion and ISBE's response more

Wednesday, November 20, is PSRP Day in Illinois, an annual day to show appreciation for the more than 100,000 dedicated paraprofessionals and school related personnel. more

I have never have felt more excited about our union and our members than I do right now. Dan Montgomery | IFT President more

The General Assembly wrapped up the fall veto session this week. Action was taken on veto overrides, new proposals, and unfinished business from the spring. more

Highlights from this issue include: the strength of the union, a heartfelt thanks to PSRPs, strike updates, and more. more

This week, the Illinois General Assembly returned to Springfield to consider the Governor’s vetoes during a two-week veto session. more

Nearly 400 delegates and guests convened at the IFT 2019 Convention in Rosemont last weekend to celebrate our successes and plan to grow our power (VIDEO) more

Governor Pritzker is keynote speaker, CTU President Karen Lewis is honored more

The 2019 IFT Convention begins this Friday, October 18! It will be a fun, high-energy three days packed with conversation about how far OUR UNION has come and strategic planning designed to strengthen OUR FUTURE. more

With the 2019 Convention set to begin on October 18, IFT members should be aware of some important rules and procedures regarding delegate and alternate credentialing. more

IFT President Dan Montgomery released the following statement in support of the National Nurses United one-day strike more

We at the IFT are proud to have known her and to continue the work she believed in. more

This primary is about ideas, so let’s make sure our fights are front and center. more

The first half of the 101st General Assembly concluded today, and what a session it was for our union and our members! more

Lawmakers rushed to move the remainder of their legislation as the scheduled session adjournment date nears. more

Action on the House and Senate Floor was light this week as today is the deadline for cross-chamber bills to be considered in a committee. more

Lawmakers need to hear from you! Call now and tell your State Representative to support the Fair Tax and fund the future we all deserve. more

Lawmakers jumped back in to Committee work after being in their district for two weeks with a main focus on passing the Fair Tax. more

October 18-20, 2019 more

Read the latest issue of IFT's quarterly member publication online today. more

Make your voice heard – contact lawmakers and urge them to support a Fair Tax! more

The official 2019 IFT Convention Call was sent to every local president in April. more

Highlights of the week include: Fair Tax, pensions, teacher evaluation, recall rights for PSRPs, and more. more

With a month until Spring recess, the House and Senate are focused on moving bills through the committee process. more

97% will get tax relief under Pritzker proposal more

The spotlight in Springfield last week was on our new governor as he gave his first State of the State/budget address on February 20. more

Highlights include: minimum wage increase, repeal of 3% salary limitations, right-to-work protections, and more. more

Highlights include: progressive income tax, minimum wage increase, IFT initiatives and more. more

Today, Governor JB Pritzker began fulfilling his campaign promises by taking swift action to put working families first. more

Read the latest issue of IFT's quarterly member publication online today.. more

COLUMN: IFT President Dan Montgomery reviews our union's successes in 2018 and looks ahead to the promise of the new year. more

After four years of failed leadership and attacks on our unions under Governor Rauner, I am proud to say that today we can turn the page and focus on real solutions to Illinois’ problems. more

Tomorrow is the most important election of our lifetimes, and I urge you to VOTE! more

We must decide between four more years of failed leadership under Bruce Rauner, or support for working families under JB Pritzker. more

Read the latest issue of Union Link online now. more

View conference information and registration forms here. more

What you can do now to keep our unions strong. more

Today, in the case of Janus vs. AFSCME, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned more than 40 years of legal precedent. more

Highlights include; budget talks, teacher shortage, class size, back pay for public employees, and more. more

The IFT Executive Board passed a special resolution supporting commonsense measures to stop gun violence. more

This full-time position will be initially assigned to the Crest Hill office with a start date of August 1, 2018 or after. more

Join fellow workers and our allies to stand up for our freedoms this Saturday at Daley Plaza. more

Here is a brief summary of important action taken this veto session. more

It was a busy week in Springfield. House committees worked to consider bills before last week’s deadline, while the so-called “grand bargain” package of legislation resurfaced in the Senate. more

The Illinois House and Senate were in Springfield last week for more committee action. more

As Governor Bruce Rauner prepares to deliver the State of the State speech, Illinois Working Together asked working men and women from around the state, “What do you think the state of Illinois is under Gov. Rauner?” more

A new poll shows that Illinois voters know the Governor is to blame for the budget impasse and side with unions in his fight against working men and women. more

After a frenzied day of activity, Illinois lawmakers left Springfield on the final day of scheduled session late Tuesday without passing a budget. more

Lawmakers adjourned today with only three days left before the end of the scheduled session on May 31. more

The Illinois House and Senate continued budget-related discussions this week, while some important bills passed - and others failed - in committees. more

The General Assembly focused this week on Gov. Rauner's proposed “budget” for fiscal year 2017, which begins in July more

Here are some of the details of Rauner’s proposed FY17 budget: more

IFT Member Ambassador and Local 4408 Andrew Spiro's op-ed on the potential impact of the upcoming Supreme Court case, Friedrichs v. California. more

PSRPs and public employees, register by FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 for this annual fun and informative event designed just for you! more

As Illinois prepares to enter a fourth month without a budget, the Governor’s wrong-headed priorities are taking a serious toll on our neediest citizens and middle-class families. more

The IFT and other unions are taking proactive legal action to ensure that workers' health care coverage is not interrupted or compromised. more

The budget impasse continued this week, and all eyes were on the House as lawmakers narrowly failed to override Rauner's veto of SB 1229. more

The Illinois House came up just three votes short in an attempt to override Rauner's veto of SB1229, a fair and reasonable arbitration bill supported by the IFT and other unions. more

Our IFT brothers and sisters in Springfield need help now! Please contact House lawmakers now to urge them to override Rauner's veto of a union-supported arbitration bill. more

Last week, Michael Hiltzik of the Los Angeles Times ran a story about how shutting down a public pension plan – the kind of thing that occurred in nearby Michigan and regularly in Governor Bruce Rauner’s daydreams – actually costs taxpayers money. more

Vice President of the IFT Local 4408 recounts how he drove 1000 miles to sign up members for his union. more

Today's 38-15 vote in the Senate cleared the first big hurdle, but the fight to enact SB1229 is not over. Stand ready to act again to ensure the House votes to override too. more

There is no time to lose! Support public employees by contacting State Senators today to urge them to override Governor Rauner's veto of SB 1229. more

While no progress was made on reaching a FY 2016 budget agreement this week, both chambers have now approved an emergency 30-day budget bill. more

Unions representing state employees filed suit in circuit court to ensure that public service workers in state government will be paid in the absence of a state budget. more

2015 has already been a great year for growing our union! The IFT is proud to welcome to our family about 430 new members in locals and councils around the state. more

Calls from IFT members around the state were key to stopping SB 1046, SA 1 in Senate Executive Committee. The proposal was rejected by a vote of 6-11. more

On Wednesday, the Senate Executive Committee will consider legislation that would restrict collective bargaining rights. Let's stop it in its tracks! Call now. more

Stop the Governor from using your rights as a political bargaining chip! Learn what is at stake and make your voice heard from May 18-22. more

In a huge victory today for IFT members, retirees, and the rule of law, the Illinois State Supreme Court just declared pension-slashing Senate Bill 1 unconstitutional. more

After a two week break, lawmakers were back in Springfield this week to continue working towards a budget for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16). more

The Governor's latest proposal to harm unions and workers has been nixed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. more

With the Friday, March 27 committee deadline in both chambers quickly approaching, the IFT Department of Political Activities is closely tracking bills that would impact our members and watching for last minute amendments to legislation. more

The Illinois House and Senate were in session this week, with more than 1,000 bills scheduled to be heard in House and Senate committees before Friday, March 27, the first committee deadline. more

IFT presidents from around the state gathered in Springfield last weekend at the 2015 IFT Presidents’ Conference to learn ways to engage, energize, and mobilize members. more

The IL AFL-CIO and 26 unions (including IFT) today filed suit in circuit court to invalidate Gov. Bruce Rauner’s unlawful executive order that violates state law by blocking state agencies from complying with the fair share provisions. more

Action in Springfield revolved around the budget address this week. It was yet another example of Rauner's attacks on workers and families. more

IFT President Montgomery reviews Governor Rauner's first weeks in office. more

The Governor's budget proposals decimate public programs and services and slash worker benefits, but don't ask millionaires and corporations to pay more. more

In response to Governor Bruce Rauner’s budget address today, IFT President Dan Montgomery released the following statement. more

Despite the House and Senate recess this week, Governor Rauner's illegal Executive Order attacking fair share made for plenty of action in Springfield. more

IFT President Dan Montgomery issued a statement immediately following Governor Rauner’s press conference announcing his latest executive order re: fair share. more

Immediately upon taking office, Governor Rauner quickly indicated that his top priority was fixing the state’s worse-than-he-thought finances. Fair enough. His first actions, however, couldn’t have less to do with this, our most pressing need. more

Buy union-made gifts and goodies to support working families and stretch your budget this holiday season. more

Great news! A Sangamon County Circuit Court judge today declared pension cuts unconstitutional. more

A ruling today in Sangamon County Circuit Court may help speed up proceedings in our coalition lawsuit which challenges the constitutionality of pension-slashing SB1. more

What would our state look like if Rauner is elected Governor? Beautiful...if you're in the 1 percent! more

Illinois voters who care about education, jobs, and their loved ones should be asking, "Which one?" more

Registration is open for this annual event designed to meet the unique professional needs of PSRPs and Public Employees. more

Proposals would defund public education, continue his legacy of promoting failed education experiments more

Hundreds of IFT members from locals around the state joined nearly 4,000 delegates and guests at the AFT’s 83rd convention in Los Angeles from July 10-14. more

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled today that the health insurance benefits of retired public workers cannot be diminished, a decision that may have significant impact on the effort to overturn pension-slashing SB 1. more

Quinn signs budget and expands voting opportunities in Illinois. more

Learn which bills passed, which didn't, and what may come next in this complete review of action in Springfield during the 98th General Assembly. more

A lot of great things have been happening in the IFT and our locals lately! Take a look at some of our recent successes. more

Lawmakers headed home for the weekend but will return on Monday, May 19 with a full schedule and plans to be in Springfield every weekday until the May 31st deadline. more

Lawmakers wrapped up their first full week in May today without taking up some major issues of this year's session. more

The legislature headed back to Springfield last week after two weeks of district work. This begins the final stretch of spring session. more

Both the Illinois House and Senate spent significant time this week on their respective floors, passing legislation to the opposite chamber for consideration. Below are items that IFT members should be aware of. more

The House Pension Committee are considering legislation in Springfield today that proposes to eliminate the IMRF 13th check for active and retired members. more

Public safety and cost concerns emerge as the agency refuses to hire enough mechanics to keep snow plows running. more

The We Are One Illinois coalition launches a new video inviting political leaders to work with us in finding real solutions to fund public employee pensions. more