The Weekly Roundup | 5/2/25

Thank you to all our members for calling and writing to lawmakers this week about fixing Tier 2 pensions! Thousands of emails and calls made our point loud and clear: Pass the Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act and fix the broken pension system for public workers. While many around the state took action, members from West Suburban Teachers Union (Local 571) were in Springfield advocating for fixing Tier 2 and for funding for school psychologists.

We are monitoring developments that affect our members and will continue to share regular updates, what your unions and legislators are doing in response, and how you can join the fight to protect our students, schools, and professions.  

THREE ITEMS ON OUR RADAR

Congratulations to our award-winning members

Three IFT teachers received top honors this week. Congratulations to the Illinois State Board of Education’s Teacher of the Year, Victor Gomez! A member of West Suburban Teachers Union (Local 571), Mr. Gomez has been a staunch advocate for multilingual education and considers his mission "doing what's right for the kids, making sure they have every opportunity to succeed.” The Golden Apple Foundation surprised two Chicago Teachers Union (Local 1) members – Nicholas Anaya, who expanded his school’s robotics program, and Victor Hurtado, a dual-language math teacher and department leader – with their Golden Apple honor and celebratory school visits. Kudos all around!

Help us save this teacher retention program threatened by federal cuts

The Virtual Instructional Coach (VIC)/We Care program ensures that new teachers in Illinois get the tools they need to grow and the support they need to stay in the profession. Unfortunately, the loss of federal ESSER funding has put the program at risk. We need your help to save this vital, grant-funded program that develops and retains new teachers here in Illinois! Please take a few minutes to send a letter. Even if you haven’t been through the program, you can edit the letter to fit your experience and show your support for this valuable program. Even though it’s only been 100 days, the Trump administration’s federal cuts like this are already impacting Illinois, from Head Start to higher education, to farms and food banks, to cultural institutions and more. Keep fighting.

May Day Strong

Thousands of protests, rallies and events took place May 1 to oppose the Trump administration’s anti-worker, anti-immigrant, and racist policies and the billionaires supporting them. In Chicago, across the United States, and even worldwide, people came together peacefully to stand up for our families over their fortunes—public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, and prosperity over free market politics. IFT President Dan Montgomery, Secretary-Treasurer Cyndi Oberle-Dahm, CTU, and fellow members and leaders joined AFT Executive VP Evelyn DeJesus at Chicago’s demonstration. Thanks and solidarity to all who marched!

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PREVIEW OF NEXT WEEK

Next week brings us Teacher Appreciation Week, Nurses Appreciation Week, and Public Service Recognition Week! Thanks for all you do!

But before that begins, we wish all fans a Happy Star Wars Day – May the 4th be with you.